An Australian Adventure
by Mindless Creations
Summary: Vacationing in Australia, the Gibbs' family find themselves faced with the fallout of the shooting. Reeling in shock and trying desperately to come to terms with their own mortality, it is only through the love and support of one another, will each member truly understand their place in this unconventional family. Warning-contains spanking. Sequel to Redefining the Future. JIBBS
1. Settling In

**Well here it is! The first chapter of my new story - An Australian Adventure! I won't promise fast updates, but I will promise to never abandon the story. I hope you enjoy :) Please review and tell me what you think**

 **Warnings, Notes and Disclaimers - Please Read!**

 **1\. This is a multi-chaptered Epilogue of my third story,** **'Redefining the Future'** **.**

 **2\. This continues a de-aging story. If you don't like, don't read.**

 **3\. This story is set during July/August 2007. Ages of the 'kids' are; Tony - 11, Ziva 5, Abby 29, Tim 28.**

 **4\. While definitely not the focus, this story does contain the discussion of and occasional spanking of minors and adults. Again, don't like, don't read.**

 **5\. I do not own any of the characters - I just like to play with and torture them.**

 **6\. All mistakes are my own - apologies ahead of time**

 **7\. Finally, since our family is in Australia I thought I would include some Australian language for you. I will try to remember to 'Americanize' the speech whenever our family is speaking. However, in descriptive passages I will indulge my native 'lingo' and introduce you to some Australian words.**

Australian words used : **Jam** \- fruit conserve usually spread on toast or bread. (I think in the US it's called jelly) **Footpath** \- sidewalk **Caravan** \- transportable holiday home on wheels which is towed behind a car (I think the US equivalent is a camper van) **Chips** \- hot thick rectangular chunks of potato fried until golden. I'm not sure if these are what American's call fries as they are quite thick. In Australia, fries are thin sticks of potato. Either way, I've had the family refer to them as fries. I will edit if incorrect.

Chapter 1 - Settling In

"I said 'Lucky Charms'," grumbled Tony as he stared fixedly at the DS screen in his hand.

"And I said, 'we don't have any'," repeated an increasingly frustrated Jenny. "You know that Tony. You were with me when we went shopping."

"Stupid country!" muttered Tony. "Can't believe they don't have Lucky Charms."

"Tony," intercepted Gibbs. "We wouldn't have bought them for you anyway. The only reason you had some at home was because Uncle Mike didn't know better and decided to spoil you and Ziva."

"Why couldn't Uncle Mike come with us anyway?" asked Tony, still not looking up from the DS.

"Because he has his own life to lead," replied Gibbs. "Now, put the DS down and answer your mother as to what you want for breakfast."

Begrudgingly, Tony placed the DS on the table with an audible sigh before rolling his eyes and saying, "Toast, I guess."

Shaking her head in frustration, Jenny turned to the small bench in the caravan and put two pieces of bread in the toaster.

It had been a tiring few days for the whole family. Leaving DC only three days after the shooting incident which had resulted in the deaths of Eli and Svetlana, not to mention the fatal shooting of Senior only a day earlier, had seemed like a good idea to Gibbs at the time. The sooner the family were away from the horrors of the previous week, the better, he thought. However, in reality, that had meant in the past five days they'd had to organize a new set of passports for everyone, change information on official databases, organize flights, endure the almost twenty-four hour flight to Melbourne and rent a car to take them back to their caravan in Geelong. To say everyone was tired and grumpy was a fairly accurate assumption.

"Abby!" yelled Ziva. "I said I didn't want peanut butter! Now you've put it all over my bread."

"Sor-ry," replied Abby sarcastically. "Can't you just eat it this one time?"

"No! Yuck!" exclaimed Ziva. "You put it on way too thick."

Sighing, Abby pulled Ziva's plate towards herself.

"Fine, I'll have the bread. You can have mine," she muttered as she pushed her plate towards Ziva.

"Yours is toast," complained Ziva. "I wanted bread."

"Just eat it and stop complaining," snarled Abby irritably.

As Ziva opened her mouth to argue, both girls were stopped short by a strangled cry from Jenny. Looking up, they watched as Jenny grabbed the bread bag, snatched up two pieces of bread and dumped them unceremoniously on Ziva's plate. She then pushed the plate of toast back towards Abby and, picking up the bread with peanut butter on it, folded it in half and took a bite.

Swallowing the mouthful, Jenny looked at the two girls who were still staring at her, open mouthed.

"I don't want to hear another word," she finally said. "Just eat!"

Completely oblivious to the conversation that had been happening around him, Tim looked up from the tablet from which he'd been reading the news and picked up the nearest jar of jam. Reading the label, he replaced the jar and checked the other jam sitting next to it. Frowning slightly, he looked up for the first time.

"Where's the blackberry I asked you to get? These two are plum and strawberry."

Suddenly, realising the table had been enveloped in a dangerous silence, Tim looked towards Jenny and saw the angry, mutinous look on her face. Back-pedalling quickly, Tim quickly grabbed the plum jam and opened the jar.

"Don't worry," he said hastily. "I didn't feel much like blackberry anyway."

As he spread the conserve on his toast, he heard a muffled giggle from Abby. Turning to look at her, he watched as she covered her mouth with her hand. It wasn't long before the contagious laugh found its way to Ziva and Tony. Soon to follow was Jenny and, finally, even Gibbs let loose with a small smirk.

"Oh Tim," sighed Jenny, as she held her side while she laughed. "I so needed that. I'll buy you a jar of blackberry next time we go to the store. I promise."

"That's fine," said Tim. "It doesn't matter."

"No, you'll get your blackberry," insisted Jenny. "You deserve it for lightening the mood."

Chewing on a bite of toast, Tim grinned at Jenny before giving his attention back to the tablet. With the mood considerably lighter than it had been, the rest of the family fell into a comfortable silence as everyone ate their breakfast.

****NCIS****

"All right team," began Gibbs. "All eyes here."

With breakfast over and the area cleaned, everyone sat around the table and stared as Gibbs carefully unfolded the large map of Australia. Straightening out the creases, he scanned the map quickly before placing his finger on the dot marked 'Geelong'.

"So, this is where we are now," he began, looking at the faces before him. It didn't take him long to notice one member was not focused.

"Tony!" admonished Gibbs.

"Hmmm?" replied the boy, furiously moving his thumbs around the control system of the DS.

"Put that down and focus over here please," demanded Gibbs.

"Hang on," muttered Tony. "I'm nearly through this level."

"Tony, it's either put it down or give it to me," replied Gibbs ominously. "And if I take it, you won't be getting it back for a while."

"Ah huh," murmured Tony, still distracted by the small screen.

Standing quickly, Gibbs reached over the table and plucked the electronic game out of Tony's hands.

"Hey!" yelled Tony. "What did you do that for?"

"I gave you a choice. You chose to ignore me, therefore the game is now mine," replied Gibbs, glaring at the angry look on his son's face.

"That's so not fair!" complained Tony loudly. "I want it back!"

Leaning forward, Gibbs placed two hands on the table and, if possible, deepened the glare directed at Tony.

"I beg your pardon?" he asked, the tone dangerously quiet.

With all eyes now focused on Tony, the eleven year old gazed mutinously around the table before dropping his eyes and mumbling, "I'm sorry."

Although the glare remained fixed on the boy, Gibbs lowered himself back into a seated position before returning his gaze to the map.

"OK, so we're here," began Gibbs, pointing once again at the dot marked Geelong.

"When can I have it back?" interrupted Tony.

Frowning, Gibbs looked incredulously at Tony. Amazed that the boy was still harping on about the toy, he refused to engage in a battle of wills and simply said, "We'll discuss it later Tony. Right now, I need your focus here."

Ensuring there was little doubt this was the end of the conversation, Gibbs returned his gaze to the map leaving Tony to sigh loudly and cross his arms tightly over his chest. Realizing he'd probably pushed his luck as far possible for that morning, Tony leaned forward and attempted to look at the map.

"So, this is Geelong and we are here in Queenscliff," said Gibbs placing his finger on the map for the third time in as many minutes.

"Now, seeing as we don't have to worry about staying under the radar," he continued. "I suggest we take the following route and slowly make our way to the center of Australia."

The family watched as Gibbs traced a line along the southwest coast of Victoria, crossing over into South Australia then heading up the coastline to Adelaide. From there, the path was fairly simple. They would basically head north until they crossed the border into the Northern Territory and continue north until they reached Alice Springs.

"What do we do once we get there?" asked Ziva, looking at the map carefully.

"It will depend on timing," replied Gibbs. "We're talking about a lot of miles from here to Alice Springs."

"How many?" asked Tony, finally taking a genuine interest in the family discussion.

"Probably close to 2,000," estimated Gibbs.

Tony widened his eyes in disbelief.

"And that only takes us half way through Australia," he exclaimed.

"It's a big country," agreed Jenny. "It's about the same size as the US."

She then turned to Gibbs.

"And I don't want to rush this trip," she added determinedly. "There's no reason why we have to. I suggest we take our time, stop when we want to, see the sights and just have a relaxing break. If we don't make it all the way, it really doesn't matter."

"I agree," said Abby. "The first part of this trip we were so worried about people finding out who we were and where we were, we didn't get chance to enjoy what was around us. I vote for being a turtle!"

She put her hand in the air as a show of confidence.

"A what?" asked Tim, staring at Abby as if she'd gone mad.

"You know? A turtle," clarified Abby.

When Tim raised his eyebrows indicating he still had no idea, Abby grabbed his arm and pulled on it vigorously.

"A turtle Timmy! Slow and steady wins the race," she said, shaking his arm and grinning.

Then, tousling his hair, she teased, "Come on Timmy, get with the program!"

Ziva and Tony giggled as they watched Tim try desperately to flatten his hair while muttering crossly, "OK, I got it! Get off me!"

"Settle children or you'll go in time out," said Jenny, smirking as the two adults returned to some sense of decorum.

"Ha!" laughed Tony. "At your ages, you'll be there all day!"

When Abby and Tim both poked out their tongues at Tony, Gibbs shook his head in frustration and muttered to himself, "kids," before clapping his hands together loudly.

"Front and center!" he shouted, making everyone jump. "Eyes here! NOW!"

Smiling as everyone immediately straightened up and four pairs of eyes bored into the map, Gibbs turned to Jenny.

"I've still got it," he said softly, winking suggestively before placing a light kiss on her lips.

Using all her willpower not to retort with a smart-ass reply, Jenny merely rolled her eyes and, returning the kiss, said quietly, "Yes dear."

With a rough travel plan mapped out, Gibbs carefully folded the map back into its original condition.

"Ground rules," he said solemnly.

A consensual groan was heard around the table.

"First and foremost," he began, ignoring the loud compaints. "Although we are no longer, 'on the run' so to speak, there are still basic rules that need to be adhered to."

He placed his index finger in the air.

"One; no organisation can run successfully without a leader. Even in a democracy, there needs to be someone in charge. The same applies to a family and, in this family you are looking at two leaders." Here, Gibbs paused long enough to point out himself and Jenny. "While you are all entitled to an opinion, sometimes decisions have to be made and sometimes you may not agree with those decisions. Despite that, you are expected to follow them respectfully. Failure to do so will lead to unpleasant consequences. Are we all clear on that?"

As various tones of 'yes,' echoed around the table, Gibbs nodded before continuing.

"Two; when travelling around and visiting new places, everyone stays together. No one is to wander off on his or her own."

Again, Gibbs paused but this time it was to look pointedly at Tim and Abby. "I understand and appreciate that you two are adults. If you wish to do something on your own for a day, that's fine, but you must first check in with either Jenny or myself before doing so. And, please understand that sometimes the answer will be no, simply because other plans have been made. OK?"

As both Abby and Tim nodded in assent, Gibbs turned back to the group at large.

"Finally, since we were last here many things have changed. As a result, I am revoking all previous groundings that may have been issued."

At this announcement, Abby's head shot up and she stared at Gibbs with a look of disbelief.

"Are you for real?" she asked in astonishment.

Gibbs hid the smirk that was slowly forming.

"Yes," he confirmed. "For real."

"Oh wow! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" squealed Abby, rushing at Gibbs from across the table and giving him a bone crushing hug.

Disentangling himself from Abby's grip, Gibbs cleared his throat and said as composedly as he could, "Well, other than the normal rules of respect for self and others, that just about covers it. Any questions?"

"Yeah, I do," said Tony. "When do I get my DS back?"

Seeing the thunderous look that crossed Gibbs' face; Tim, Abby, Ziva and Jenny made a unanimous decision that now was a good time to leave the table.

****NCIS****

"So we're heading off to Apollo Bay tomorrow then?" asked Abby.

The family had decided to take a stroll along the main street and were currently looking for somewhere to have lunch.

"Yes," replied Jenny. "I think after the rushing around of the last few days, it will be nice to have a quiet day before setting off again in the morning"

"How long will be stay in Apollo Bay?" asked Ziva.

"As long as we want," said Gibbs. "That's the best part of this holiday. We don't really need to plan too much. And, being winter time in Australia, we're able to find accommodation quite easily."

As they made their way along the footpath, Tony's sharp vision honed in on a shop in the distance.

"Hey! A pizza place!" he called enthusiastically. "Can we have lunch there?"

"No Tony," said Abby. "We've already decided have fish and chips. The man at the caravan park said it's a truly local experience to buy fish and chips and eat it on the beach."

"Who wants to eat food on the beach?" said Tony in disgust. "It'll get covered in sand!"

"Tony are you going to disagree with everything we say during this trip?" asked Gibbs, his patience wearing thin. "From the minute we arrived, all you've done is argue and complain about everything. It's getting very old."

"I wasn't complaining when I had my DS to play with," muttered Tony sarcastically under his breath.

Gibbs suddenly stopped walking.

"Jen," he said calmly as he waited for the group to stop. "Apparently the fish and chip place is just up ahead. Can you take the others and order the food? Tony and I need to have a chat."

As Tony swallowed nervously, he watched his mother nod solemnly before taking Ziva's hand and leading the group further along the street.

"But I want to stay and see Tony get in trouble," whined Ziva as she was firmly led away.

"I wouldn't go there if I were you, young lady," retorted Jenny.

Once out of ear shot, Gibbs put his hand on Tony's back and steered the boy towards a nearby bench. Taking a seat, he indicated Tony should do the same.

"This is not like you Tony," said Gibbs quietly to the boy who was now sitting with his head bowed. "Look at me please."

Tony lifted his head and made eye contact with his father.

"What's the problem?" asked Gibbs.

Tony shrugged.

"I don't know," he said sullenly. "I…I want my DS back."

"Forget the DS," barked Gibbs. "There's more going on here than a stupid game."

"It's not stupid," retorted Tony. Although his voice was quiet, a definite defiance was clearly apparent.

"Tony, that…thing," continued Gibbs, trying to maintain a calm and patient tone. "Is an object designed for entertainment. It is not there to replace family interaction and distract you from enjoying social activities. I don't have any issues with you playing with it occasionally but, when it starts to affect your moods and stops you from participating in real life then I do have a problem with it."

"But I like playing with it?" argued Tony.

Gibbs sighed.

"I know you do. And most times it's fine. But lately it's become the only thing you've wanted to do," pointed out Gibbs. "It's almost as if you are using it to avoid talking to people or participating in activities."

Gibbs watched as Tony dropped his gaze to his lap but he could see the boy was still listening.

"The last few days have been really hard on you," Gibbs continued. "You've had to deal with a lot, including the death of your father."

"He wasn't my father!" snapped Tony with an anger surprising even Gibbs.

"Yes, he was, Tony," replied Gibbs gently. "Whether he acted like one or not, he was still your biological father. And now he's dead."

"Good!" muttered Tony.

"I still think it would be a good idea for you to talk to someone about everything that's happened recently and how that's making you feel," suggested Gibbs.

"I don't want to talk to anyone!" said Tony fiercely. "I'm fine. I was even better when I had my DS!" This last bit was added with a particular sarcasm Gibbs didn't miss.

Opening his mouth to reply, Gibbs was suddenly halted by a small voice shouting in the distance.

"Daddy! Daddy! Guess what?"

Turning in the direction of the sound, he noticed an extremely enthusiastic Ziva running excitedly towards him. Not far behind, Jenny was gaining speed and calling Ziva back. Despite a gallant effort, Jenny wasn't fast enough and pretty soon Gibbs was attacked by a small five year old leaping onto his lap.

"Omph!" he groaned as her legs hit a particularly sensitive spot.

"Daddy! Guess what?" repeated Ziva.

"Ziva Gibbs!" chided Jenny as she finally caught up. "I told you not to disturb Daddy and Tony while they were talking!"

"But this is much more important," argued Ziva, her brown eyes imploring with Jenny's green. "This is a 'once in a lifetime experience'!" she exclaimed, repeating what the man in the fish and chip shop had said.

Gibbs laughed at the expression.

"A once in a lifetime experience hey?" he said, muffling his laughter. "Well then, I guess you'd better tell us what's going on."

"Whales Daddy!" shouted Ziva, the excitement almost exploding from her body. "There's whales in the ocean and we can see them if we climb this cliff and look out. And it's a mummy whale and her calf, that's what baby whales are called, and they are swimming around really close. Can we go Daddy? Can we? Pleeeeeeeease!"

As his brain slowly comprehended Ziva's mile a minute sentences, he gave a nod.

"That's sounds like a great idea Sweetpea," he said looking down in the beaming face pointed in his direction.

Ziva immediately clapped her hands and jumped off Gibbs' lap before dancing around in circles.

"Yay! We get to see the mummy and her calf!" she sang as she circled Abby and Tim.

"Sorry," mouthed Jenny, catching Gibbs' eye.

He shook his head quickly, indicating the interruption was fine. At this stage Tony wasn't willing to talk anyway. And, as far as Gibbs was concerned, a few new rules were going to need to be put in place regarding the DS. But, he would deal with those later. Right now, some whale spotting was much more exciting.

The family, led by Ziva and Abby, set off along the cliff walk at the cracking pace. By the time they had reached the small group of onlookers, Tony and Tim were gasping for air and even Jenny and Gibbs were relieved to have finally stopped.

"Where are they Daddy?" asked Ziva as she scanned the ocean.

As everyone squinted into the dazzling water for any sign of the mammals, a voice behind them said, "Just to your left."

Gibbs turned around and came face to face with a man holding his son on his shoulders. The boy looked to be about six.

"They surfaced a few minutes ago," he continued. "They should appear again shortly."

He pointed towards the left of the group.

"They were just in that area over there," he added.

"Thanks," said Gibbs, smiling at the stranger.

"Daddy, can I sit on your shoulders like that boy?" asked Ziva.

"Sure," replied Gibbs, lifting Ziva under the arms and hoisting her over his head. As she settled comfortably, he could almost feel her eyes boring into the distance for any sign of the whale and its calf.

"There they are!" suddenly squealed Abby, startling everyone and nearly making Tony fall off the edge. Gibbs quickly grabbed his arm and held him close.

"Where?" asked Ziva.

"Over there," said Abby pointing to a spot just to the left of them.

The family strained their eyes and stared into the distance.

"Oh I see it," said Tony. "It looks like a lump just under the surface of the water. It's black."

"Where?" asked Ziva again.

She bounced impatiently on Gibbs' shoulders.

"I can't see," she whined.

Pointing towards the whale so that his hand was directly in Ziva's line of vision, Gibbs said, "Can you see it now?"

"Maybe," replied Ziva, squinting carefully.

Suddenly, a large spurt of water rose from the surface creating a misty waterfall which quickly descended into the ocean again.

"Did you see that?" asked Tim, looking up at Ziva. "That's coming from the whale's blow hole."

Ziva frowned and looked at Tim as if he'd said something ridiculous.

"The what?" she asked, still frowning.

"A whale is a mammal Ziva," began Tim patiently. "It has lungs and has to breathe air like us. But, unlike us, it doesn't breathe through its mouth otherwise, when it tries to eat, it would run the risk of taking water into its lungs. A whale's trachea is connected to the blow hole on top of its head. When it surfaces to breath and exhales, the water around the blow hole streams into the air like a water fountain. Once the whale takes in air and fills its lungs, it can submerge again. Some whales can stay under water for up to half an hour before resurfacing."

As Tim finished, he noticed several people in the crowd were staring at him and listening intently.

Flushing a deep red, Tim cleared his throat and said quietly, "Er, I did a study on humpback whales when I was in 7th grade. I guess the information stuck."

"You're a walking encyclopedia Timmy," said Abby proudly, patting Tim's arm affectionately.

"So they breathe through that hole in their head?" asked Tony, staring out to sea and hoping for a glimpse of the blow hole.

"Yep," affirmed Tim. "It also means they don't have to completely surface to take a breath. They just need to expose the top half of their head."

"We should drill a hole in your head Daddy," suggested a giggling Ziva, poking her index finger into the top of Gibbs' head. "Then you could walk along the bottom of the ocean with just this top bit sticking out," she added, patting Gibbs' hair.

"I think we'll leave Daddy just the way he is," suggested Jenny, grinning at Gibbs. "We don't want what little brain he has to seep out."

"Hey!" admonished Gibbs, playfully swatting at Jenny while she jumped out of arms-reach laughing candily.

"I think I can see the baby!" exclaimed Abby excitedly.

Once again, everyone turned towards the ocean and squinted into the light.

"It's called a calf Abby," corrected Ziva with an air of importance.

Abby rolled her eyes and muttered, "Whatever," to herself before catching the glare that was directed at her from Gibbs. Resisting the urge to roll her eyes again, Abby ignored the glare and stared once again out to sea.

"How come they're not leaping out of the water like you see in movies and stuff?" asked Tony.

"I don't know Tony," replied Tim. "I guess they don't feel like it. Whales that perform in places like Sea World and such are trained to do that on cue. These guys are wild. This is what whales are really about."

Suddenly the larger of the two whales rose again to the surface. Watching carefully, the little group gathered on the cliff top were rewarded for their patience when the whale lifted its tail out of the ocean as it resubmerged.

"Did you see that?" squealed Ziva, kicking her legs in her excitement.

Pinning Ziva's legs to his chest so as to remind her not to kick, Gibbs replied, "I did. And it looks like the baby might copy her."

"Calf," muttered Abby sarcastically, under her breath.

"Don't push it young lady," growled Gibbs in Abby's ear. The reprimand was quiet enough that only Abby was able to hear it.

As Gibbs levelled his oldest daughter with a steely glare, he was quickly distracted by Tony who suddenly grabbed his arm.

"Look Dad!" he shouted. "The baby just lifted its tail as well! This is so cool!"

Gibbs smiled at the excited look on his son's face. It was so good to see him animated again. The recent appearance of a sullen, moody and withdrawn Tony was worrying both he and Jenny. He understood that both Tony and Ziva had been through an enormous amount of stress during the past few weeks, but he'd hoped that this holiday may help them to relax and, subsequently, talk about the issues that were bothering them.

After a few more minutes of watching, Jenny checked her watch.

"Time we were going," she called to the group. "Our lunch will be just about ready."

Despite the several groans that assaulted her ears, she was pleased to see everyone making their way back down the cliff top and onto the grassy area near the park.

"How about you four wait here while Mom and I grab the food," suggested Gibbs.

Spying the playground in the distance, Ziva whirled around excitedly.

"Can we play over there?" she asked.

"Sure," replied Jenny. "But mind Abby and Tim. They are in charge. OK?"

"OK," sighed Ziva. 'Come on Tony, let's go on the swings!"

Dragging a less than enthusiastic Tony alongside her, Ziva made her way to the play ground. Abby and Tim followed slowly behind.

"So, how did the talk with Tony go?" asked Jenny as she and Gibbs crossed the main road before turning right and walking along the sidewalk.

"I don't know," replied Gibbs sighing deeply. "He's just so obsessed with that game. He's using as a deflection."

When Jenny looked up at him and frowned slightly, Gibbs elaborated.

"While he's got his face buried in that toy, he doesn't need to face the real world around him. He can pretend nothing has happened. He doesn't have to talk to anyone, make any decisions."

Jenny nodded in understanding.

"Watching him on the cliff top was like having the old Tony back again," continued Gibbs. "He was laughing, animated, engaged in the world around him. I miss that, Jen."

"Me too," agreed Jenny. "I don't know how much longer I can put up with the sullenness and rudeness."

"We don't," interrupted Gibbs. "We need to carry on as usual. We wouldn't have put up with that a couple of weeks ago, so why should we now? If we make allowances it will only confuse him. That's why I took the DS away from him. He can have it back tonight but there will be few ground rules accompanying it."

"I agree," said Jenny. "I think we should limit his time on that thing to only an hour a day. I'm more than happy for him to chose when he wants it and he can break that hour up over the day."

"Good idea," agreed Gibbs. "I was going to suggest thirty minutes, but I think an hour is probably fairer. Especially if he breaks it up into two half hour slots."

"He's not going to like it though," added Jenny. "Over the last few days he's practically been on that thing 24/7."

"I know," sighed Gibbs. "But hopefully each day will have its own activities to distract him."

They walked together in a comfortable silence, each one reflecting on the decision they had just made.

"Oh and what's up with Abby lately?" chimed in Gibbs suddenly breaking the silence. "One minute she's her normal self, then the next she fighting with Ziva like a ten year old. I thought we'd sorted out that whole jealousy thing months ago."

Jenny smiled to herself.

"What?" questioned Gibbs, not missing the smug smile on Jenny's face.

"Hon," began Jenny, gently rubbing Gibbs' arm. "You'll never understand a girl's love for her Daddy. No matter how hard you try."

Gibbs rolled his eyes and gave her a wry look.

"Abby's pretty good usually but even she will have her off days," placated Jenny. "We've all been through the wringer lately and she's probably just a little sensitive. And it doesn't help that Ziva is so protective of you. Or that she can be quite opinionated when she wants to be."

"She's five Jen," argued Gibbs

"Yes, I know Jethro," replied Jenny. "But, as we both know, she can be quite a little miss when she wants to be. And you glaring at Abby when Ziva is being a little show off certainly doesn't help things."

"I wasn't," defended Gibbs affronted at insinuation. "I glared at her for rolling her eyes and being sarcastic."

"Yes, something that you do quite frequently," pointed out Jenny firmly.

As Gibbs frowned and opened his mouth to argue, Jenny cut him off saying, "Look, I'm not suggesting you condone that behavior but, maybe you should just ignore it for a while. What you didn't see when you glared at Abby, was the self satisfied look on Ziva's face. She knows exactly what's going on and, if you're not careful, she'll start playing you."

"Sheesh! Kids!" grumbled Gibbs. "Didn't realize there would be so much politics involved."

"Oh you ain't seen nothing yet," warned Jenny, grinning at him. "Wait until Tony and Ziva are teenagers. Then you'll know all about politics."

"Ha!" snorted Gibbs. "Maybe I'll get lucky and be dead by then."

"Don't you dare, Leroy Jethro Gibbs," admonished Jenny. "You'll miss out on the best part of being a parent."

"What's that?" asked Gibbs, frowning at her.

"Being a Grandparent!" she replied smiling. "All that loving and spoiling and handing them back. The best revenge a parent can get."

"You're a wicked women Jennifer Shepherd," said Gibbs, bending down to kiss her gently.

"Yep," agreed Jenny, smiling suggestively. "That's why you love me."

As they reached the doorway of the fish and chip shop, Gibbs stepped aside to let Jenny enter.

As she passed in front of him, Gibbs whispered, "Too right," in her ear before pinching her hard on the bottom and making her squeal. With her face now a beetroot red, Jenny made her way to counter and tried to ignore the stifled smirk on the owner's face.

It was decided in the end that eating fish and chips on the sandy beach wasn't as much fun as the man at the caravan park had led them to believe. After five minutes of brushing copious amounts of sand from their fingers before tying to each the salty chips and battered fish, a unanimous decision to swap the sand for grass was gratefully reached.

"This is much better," sighed Tim as he picked up his piece of fish and bit into it hungrily.

"I agree," said Gibbs as he, too, managed to finish off his food without the added obstacle of sandy fingers.

Further away, Ziva and Abby sat on the side of grassy hill, eating their meal while surrounded by a flock of hungry seagulls.

"Ziva!" exclaimed Abby. "Don't throw anymore fries to the seagulls. I just told you to wait until we're all finished."

As the seagulls flocked around them like vultures, Ziva picked up another chip and, daring Abby to say something, drew her arm back in readiness to throw it. Instantly, about 20 birds raised their heads in anticipation of the treat.

Jumping up, Abby grabbed Ziva's arm and wrenched the chip out of it.

"I said 'Don't'," she growled angrily.

Instantly Ziva began to wail loudly catching the attention of her family.

"What happened?" asked Gibbs, surprised to see Ziva howling and Abby furiously glaring at her younger sister.

"I told her not to throw fries at the seagulls until we were all finished," began Abby defensively. "Otherwise we can't eat without them trying to steal our food. But she wouldn't listen and deliberately went to throw another fry at them so I took it out of her hand."

"You hurt my fingers!" wailed Ziva getting up and falling into Gibbs' lap.

Remembering what Jenny had told him, Gibbs resisted the urge to offer comfort to Ziva and, instead, leaned her away from him so he could look into her face.

"Did Abby ask you to stop throwing the fries?" he asked calmly.

"She hurt my fingers," howled Ziva, trying desperately to gain sympathy.

"Ziva," said Gibbs firmly, "Did Abby ask you to stop throwing the fries?"

Ziva sniffled before saying sulkily, "Yes."

"And did you continue to throw them?" asked Gibbs.

"I only pretended to throw one," replied Ziva in a whiny tone. "And Abby squeezed my fingers really hard and it hurt!"

"I didn't squeeze your fingers," retorted Abby, sure that she was about to be in trouble. "I just took the fry out of them. And you weren't pretending," she added crossly.

"Yes I was!" argued Ziva rounding fiercely on Abby.

"Ziva!" admonished Gibbs, gaining the child's attention once again. "Why would you even pretend to do something like that? If Abby asked you to stop, you need to stop, especially when she gives you a perfectly reasonable explanation as to why."

Ziva pursed her lips and frowned. This wasn't exactly going the way she had hoped.

"Now, you owe Abby and apology, young lady," said Gibbs, ignoring the look of absolute shock on Ziva's face. "And you can sit here for five minutes and think about the way you should behave when an adult asks you to stop doing something."

"That's not fair," wailed Ziva, her eyes filling with tears. "She hurt my fingers!"

"Show me," said Gibbs, gently taking Ziva's hand and examining the fingers.

As he expected, there were no signs of injury or bruising.

"I want you to look at me and tell me the truth, Ziva," began Gibbs sternly. "Did Abby really hurt your fingers?"

Ziva squirmed slightly before saying softly, "Maybe, just a little bit."

Gibbs raised an eyebrow and stared at his daughter.

Sighing under the stringent gaze, Ziva dropped her eyes and said, "OK, it didn't hurt. But she could have!"

"That's what I thought," replied Gibbs. "You can also apologize for trying to get Abby into trouble."

Ziva crossed her arms and stared at the ground.

"Now please!" commanded Gibbs firmly.

Standing Ziva up, he encouraged her to move with a none too gentle swat to her bottom.

Whining in complaint, Ziva stomped over to Abby and, crossing her arms, offered a sulky apology.

"You might want to try that again young lady," suggested Gibbs, giving Ziva a look which left her in no doubt as to his intentions.

When Ziva had apologized sincerely for her behavior and Abby had offered forgiveness, the two sisters hugged before Ziva pulled away and sat herself on the grass next to her father in order to complete her time out.

Gibbs, glancing at Jenny, caught the encouraging smile she offered and returned a similar grin of thanks.

As the warmth of the winter sun rested on their backs, the adults sat in comfortable silence listening to the distant sound of the waves crashing onto the sand. Having completed her time out, Ziva, accompanied by Tony, had made a beeline for the playground and was, once again, making use of the facilities.

With six glorious weeks stretched out in front of them, every member of the Gibbs' family was determined to make this the best holiday they had ever experienced.


	2. Little Starfish

**Thank you all for the wonderful reviews, follows and favorites. This chapter is more family centered. Travels will begin in the next chapter.**

 **It was hard to find the origin of the Starfish Story but it is believed to have been written by Loren Eiseley as part of an essay entitled "The Star Thrower" published in 1969. It has since been adapted many times.**

Chapter 2 - Little Starfish

Later that afternoon as the family relaxed on the grassy area around the caravan, Gibbs called Tony aside to discuss his and Jenny's decision regarding the DS.

With her curiosity sparked, Ziva watched carefully as Gibbs and Tony headed inside the van. Not wanting to miss out on anything, she waited until they had both entered the van before creeping around the back and pressing her ear as high up as she could manage towards the open window. In this position, with her shoulder flat against the caravan, she could just make out the discussion taking place inside.

"Mom and I had a chat today about your use of the DS," began Gibbs solemnly. "And we are both concerned with the amount of time you are spending playing those games."

"But…" began Tony.

"Just hear me out first Tony," replied Gibbs, cutting Tony off before he could begin arguing.

Emitting a loud sigh, Tony slumped in the seat and crossed his arms over his chest.

Ignoring the defiant gesture, Gibbs continued.

"I've already spoken with you today about my concerns and I don't feel you need those repeated. So Mom and I have agreed that you can have the DS back-"

Immediately Tony sat up straight and a large grin began to form across his face.

"However," continued Gibbs, watching as the grin was replaced with a sulky pout. "There will be one major rule that will accompany the DS."

"Yeah, what?" asked Tony grumpily, slouching even further into the seat.

"You can have the DS for an hour each day. How you -"

He was immediately cut off by a loud gasp.

"What!" exclaimed Tony. "You can't be serious!"

"Oh I'm very serious Tony," replied Gibbs. "So serious in fact that I'm happy to reduce it to thirty minutes if you want to keep up with the attitude."

"But it's not fair!" complained Tony angrily. "I can barely get through a couple of levels in an hour."

"An hour it is Tony," repeated Gibbs, just as firmly. "You can either use that hour in one hit, or break it up into thirty minute slots. How you use that hour is up to you."

"There's no point in even trying to start a game with only an hour," mumbled Tony under his breath. "I may as well throw the stupid thing away."

"Well, that's up to you," stated Gibbs calmly. "Although you won't be throwing it away, I'll just keep it with me until you decide when you're ready to have it back."

"Can't we make it two hours?" pleaded Tony, his green eyes imploring solemnly.

Gibbs shook his head.

"Sorry, Tony," he said patiently. "An hour a day it is."

Suddenly, and to Gibbs enormous surprise, Tony stood and, kicking the table as hard as he could, he screamed. "I hate you! You're always trying to spoil my fun! I finally find something I like doing and you take it away. You're just like Senior. You want to make me miserable. Well I hope you're satisfied because I am miserable!"

And with that, Tony ran from the caravan. Throwing aside the annex door, he took off across the grassy area in front of the van and kept running until he was no longer visible.

Standing quickly, Jenny watched as Tony sped past her and disappeared from view.

Looking around at the shocked expressions on Abby and Tim's faces, she asked in a bewildered tone, "What was that about?"

"Tony's in big trouble now!" said Ziva, revealing her position from behind the van. "He yelled at Daddy!"

Frowning at this new revelation, Jenny crooked her finger and called Ziva towards her.

"What do you mean?" she asked the small girl in front of her.

"I'll go after Tony," interrupted Tim, seeing that the conversation between Ziva and Jenny could take some time. As Jenny nodded a quick acknowledgement, Tim took off in the same direction as Tony.

From behind Ziva, Jenny looked up and saw Gibbs exiting the annex. Worry and concern was etched on his face.

"Well?" prompted Jenny, again focusing her attention on Ziva.

Ziva took a deep breath before speaking.

"Daddy told Tony that he could only use his DS for one hour a day and Tony got mad and there was a loud bang and then Tony said that Daddy was just like Senior and wanted him to be miserable. Then Tony ran away!"

Widening her eyes in disapproval, Ziva concluded by saying. "And now, Tony's in big trouble!"

"And just how do you know all that young lady?" asked Gibbs, stepping forward and locking eyes with Ziva.

Realizing she had inadvertently given herself away, Ziva closed her mouth and decided silence would be her only hope.

"I asked you a question Ziva," said Gibbs sternly.

"Um…I….I heard you and Tony talking," she finally replied.

"How?" asked Gibbs. "Tony and I were having a private conversation in the van."

Dropping her head, Ziva knew she been caught out.

"How?" repeated Gibbs, louder and more firmly.

"I…I wanted to know what you and Tony were going to talk about. So…so I listened outside the window," stammered Ziva.

"Ziva!" admonished Jenny. "How would you feel if someone did that to you?"

Without answering, Ziva shrugged her shoulders and remained staring fixedly at the ground

"I remember," began Gibbs gruffly. "Not five days ago, how embarrassed you were when you thought people had heard the spanking you received. Do you remember that?"

Ziva nodded her head without looking up.

"So what makes you think it's OK to listen into a private conversation?" asked Gibbs.

Another shrug.

"Answer me, young lady," growled Gibbs, forcing Ziva's head up with a finger under her chin.

"It isn't OK," she muttered softly.

"No it isn't," agreed Gibbs. "It's very rude and disrespectful!"

"M'sorry Daddy," whimpered Ziva.

"Right now, I need to find your brother and see that he's OK," began Gibbs sternly. "So, I want you to go into the van and get on your bed. We will discuss this matter later young lady. You do not leave your bed until you are called. Do you understand?"

"Yes Daddy," squeaked Ziva.

"Good," replied Gibbs. "Off you go."

Watching as Ziva meekly turned around and made her way through the annex door, Gibbs let out a long suffering sigh.

"Tim went after Tony," said Jenny, gaining Gibbs' attention. "It might be best to let him have a chat first."

Gibbs ran his fingers through his hair.

"Yeah, you're probably right," he said, sighing deeply again.

"He didn't mean it," said Jenny, lifting her hand and running it softly down Gibbs' cheek.

When Gibbs looked at her quizzically, she elaborated, "saying you're just like Senior. He didn't mean it."

"Oh I know that Jen," replied Gibbs, giving her a small smile and taking her hand in his. Kissing the knuckles gently he added, "I'm not worried about that. I'm worried about his state of mind. He's so angry and pent up. He's refusing to admit how he feels, let alone try and discuss it."

"Hmmm," said Jenny wryly. "Just like his Dad."

Frowning at her, Gibbs pulled away.

"Oh come on Jen," he barked in frustration. "You can't seriously be comparing him with me."

"Why not, Jethro?" asked Jenny directly. "You are exactly the same. You don't share your feelings or worries and concerns. OK, granted," she added, seeing the incredulous look on Gibbs' face. "You have improved these last few months but, it's still like pulling teeth trying to get you to talk about things. Unless it something to do with the kids, you clam up and try to solve the problem on your own."

"I'm trying not to burden you," interrupted Gibbs crossly.

"Oh pftt!" scoffed Jenny. "I'm your partner damn it. If you can't burden me, then who can you burden! We're supposed to be a team, Jethro!"

Despite the cold stare she was receiving from Gibbs, Jenny knew that he was listening to her.

"Look," she continued in a softer voice. "I'm just saying that Tony takes his cues from you. He idolizes you. Maybe if he saw you sharing your feelings and troubles a bit more, he may reciprocate similarly."

A small frown flickered across Gibbs' face which Jenny picked up immediately.

"He'll start copying you," she amended with a smile.

Gibbs' gave a curt nod before scratching roughly at his ear.

"Yeah, maybe you're right," he admitted softly.

Despite her poker face, Jenny inwardly smiled. Gibbs might be gruff and hard at times, but he was always a fair man, willing to accept his own flaws and make necessary changes. And, when it came to his two children, he would always put their needs first.

"Let's see what Tim can do," suggested Jenny. "Tony needs time to cool off and think about his words. I'm sure he'll be fine."

As Gibbs nodded in agreement, Jenny stood on tiptoe and kissed him briefly on the lips.

"And how about I go and deal with Little Miss Nosy in there?" she added nodding her head in the direction of the van.

"Yeah, OK," sighed Gibbs. "I'll go and see if I can find Tony and Tim."

"Take the long route," suggested Jenny grinning.

Gibbs watched as Jenny walked away and entered through the annex door. When she had disappeared inside, Gibbs turned and saw Abby sitting rigidly on the lawn.

"You OK?" he asked, seeing the concerned look on her face.

"Yeah," she replied quietly.

"But?" anticipated Gibbs.

"Well, I don't know," began Abby, standing up and making her way towards the man she now saw as her father. "Every thing's different since… you know."

"Since the shooting?" encouraged Gibbs.

"Yeah," said Abby, nodding her head and burrowing her body into Gibbs.

He put his arms around her and held her close.

"I know," he said soothingly, kissing the top of her head. "It's gonna take some time Abbs."

He felt her nod into his chest and began to rub her back gently.

"We all need time to process what's happened," he began, talking softly over her head. "All of us but especially Tony and Ziva. Their whole sense of security has been shattered and it's going to take more than a couple of days for them to see and trust that they are safe once again."

"Yeah I guess," replied Abby.

She pulled away slightly and looked up into Gibbs face.

"I don't mean to be a brat with Ziva," she said gently. "I know she's going through a hard time. I just seem to lose my patience with her lately. She keeps pushing me into reacting and…well… I guess I'm playing right into her hands."

Gibbs smiled slightly and leaned in to kiss Abby on the top of the head once again.

"Yep," he said sighing deeply. "Just remember, you are the adult here, OK? I know she's pushing boundaries at the moment, both of them are. I guess they are just testing that those boundaries are still there. It's up to us, as the adults, to maintain consistency. And, no, it doesn't help when you stoop down to her level and start behaving like a sulky ten year old," concluded Gibbs, giving Abby a brief look of sternness.

"I know," agreed Abby. "I'm sorry."

"S'OK Abbs," replied Gibbs gently. "I know it can be frustrating."

Seeing Abby give him a watery smile, Gibbs pulled her close again and hugged her tightly.

"Love you Abbs," he said gruffly. "You'll always be my favourite Abby."

Abby laughed.

"I'm your only Abby," she replied, grinning.

"Uh uh," corrected Gibbs. "There's Abigail Borin."

"Yeah, whatever," replied Abby, rolling her eyes in mock annoyance.

Kissing her temple tenderly, Gibbs pulled away and delivered a sharp smack to Abby's backside.

"Ouch, what was that for?" she spluttered.

"Don't roll your eyes at me," called Gibbs, smirking playfully as he began to make his way across the grassy verge.

Giving her bottom a quick rub, Abby smiled to herself and sat once again on the cool grass under the shade of the tree. Grabbing the book she had been reading, Abby closed it and put it aside, before stretching out and closing her eyes. She listened happily to the evening song of the magpies before drifting peacefully into a contented doze.

Entering the van, Jenny made her way past the kitchen area and along the small passageway that led to the bedrooms. Stopping outside the first door, she peered in and saw a small figure curled on the top right bunk and facing the wall. As she entered the small room, Ziva, sensing movement, turned over and immediately sat up.

"Where's Daddy?" she asked, seeing that Jenny was alone.

"He's gone to find Tony," replied Jenny, carefully climbing the ladder and sitting next to Ziva on the edge of the bunk.

"Is Tony in trouble?" asked Ziva softly.

There was no joy in her voice. Only a quiet concern for her older brother.

"I don't think we need to worry about Tony right now," replied Jenny sternly. "Do we?"

Jenny watched as Ziva stared into her lap and shook her head forlornly.

"Do you want to tell me why you thought it was a good idea to listen into a private conversation?" asked Jenny, getting straight to the point.

Ziva shrugged her shoulders.

"I want an answer Missy," replied Jenny.

"I…. I don't really know," began Ziva softly. "I wanted to know what they were going to say."

"But why Ziva?" asked Jenny. "That's not like you. You are normally very good at understanding people's need for privacy."

"I… I….," Ziva stammered uncertainly. "I just wanted to know."

She looked up at Jenny, her brown eyes filled with tears along with an unfamiliar insecurity that Jenny had rarely seen before.

"Did you think they were going to talk about you?" asked Jenny, trying desperately to figure out Ziva's motives.

The small girl shrugged.

"Maybe," she said eventually. "I… I just wanted to know what they were talking about. I… I didn't want it to be a surprise."

Jenny frowned.

"A surprise?" she asked, confusion etched on her face. "What do you mean, honey?"

"Well," continued Ziva. "If it was something about me or something that I would have to do, I wanted to know straight away. I… I don't like not knowing things."

Jenny was silent for a moment, allowing Ziva's words to fully compute with her brain.

"So," she began slowly. "You decided to listen into the conversation in case it was about something that might involve you or affect you in some way?" clarified Jenny.

"Yes," replied Ziva, nodding.

"But, Ziva, you know Daddy would include you if it was something that involved you. He wouldn't just discuss it with Tony," reasoned Jenny.

"I know," said Ziva softly. "I just forgot and was worried."

She looked once again at Jenny.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to tell what I heard. I was just surprised at Tony yelling at Daddy," said Ziva remorsefully.

"Do you understand that what you did was wrong?" asked Jenny.

Ziva nodded.

"Why was it wrong?" prompted Jenny.

"Because I listened into a private conversation and then told everybody what had been said. And I wouldn't like it if someone did that to me," Ziva replied quietly, still staring fixedly into her lap.

Jenny nodded.

"OK," she finally said. "Well, I think you owe Tony an apology when you see him next, don't you?"

"Yes," replied Ziva.

"And I think some time in here alone to think about what you did and why you should never do it again is in order," added Jenny firmly.

Again, Ziva nodded.

"OK," said Jenny, jumping down from the bunk and turning around so she was looking directly at Ziva. "You can stay in here until either Daddy or I say you can come out. And," she added, lifting Ziva's chin so she was in no doubt that the child was listening. "If this happened again, you can be sure of a spanking. What you did was very disrespectful and it's not something that Daddy or I will tolerate. Am I clear?"

"Yes Mommy," replied Ziva, nodding her head vigorously.

"Good, I hope so," added Jenny sternly. "Now, how about you lie down and think about what you're going to say to Tony when you see him. I want more than just an 'I'm sorry'. I want you to explain why it was wrong and why you won't do it again."

Ziva nodded again and laid her head down on her pillow, scrunching her legs up to her chest.

Smiling softly, Jenny reached up and removed the sandals the little girl was still wearing. Then, kissing the forehead gently, she removed herself from the room and pulled the concertina door closed behind her.

****NCIS****

It didn't take Gibbs long to locate Tony and Tim. He had figured Tony would go to one of two places; either the beach or the playground. Opting for the playground first, Gibbs was relieved when he rounded the corner and saw two figures, side by side on the swings. Not wanting to interrupt the conversation that was obviously taking place, Gibbs found a nearly by bench and took a seat, waiting patiently until his boys were ready to come home.

"I know I shouldn't have yelled at him," said Tony, pushing off the ground slightly with his feet. "I just got so mad."

Tim, having taken slightly longer than Gibbs to figure out Tony's whereabouts, had not long joined the boy on the swings.

"So why did you?" he asked carefully.

"I don't know," shrugged Tony. "I don't want my time limited on the DS. I want to have it like I did before."

"Before, as in yesterday?" queried Tim. "Or before as in before the shooting?"

"What's the difference," asked Tony, shrugging nonchalantly.

"Well, there's a big difference," clarified Tim. "Before the shooting you could go days without even picking up the DS and, when you did, you might only play it for 45 minutes and then you'd find something else to do. Since the shooting, you've not wanted to do anything else. Your head is constantly buried in the game, to the point where you no longer join in family conversations or activities."

"So?" asked Tony sulkily.

"So," continued Tim, trying not to become frustrated with the attitude he was receiving from his younger brother. "It's not healthy for you to only focus on that one thing. There are other things in life besides the DS."

"But I like the playing on the DS," argued Tony.

"Why?" asked Tim.

Tony looked up.

"I….I don't know," he finally replied, having thought for a few seconds. "I guess when I'm on the DS, I don't have to think about anything."

"Like the shooting?" asked Tim.

Tony looked away, staring out towards the sea.

"Yeah, I guess," he said softly.

"It's OK to think about the shooting you know," began Tim carefully. "I think about it a lot. Sometimes I even get nightmares about it."

"Yeah, I know," replied Tony, turning his attention back to Tim. "I've heard you."

There was a brief a silence as both brothers contemplated what had just been said.

"Were you scared?"

The silence was broken by Tony. Tim looked at him solemnly.

"Hell yeah," replied Tim. "I was terrified. I thought I was going to die. And, when I saw Eli point that gun at Ziva, I thought she was going to die. It was the worst day of my life, Tony."

Tony nodded, taking in everything Tim was saying.

"I was scared Dad was going to die," said Tony softly. "I… I couldn't get to him. I was stuck in basement with Grandpa and all we could hear were gunshots and screams. I… I didn't know what was happening."

"That must have been horrible for you," empathized Tim. "That feeling of not knowing is sometimes worse than being there among it all."

Another silence filled the air as the two boys gently swayed on the swings.

"Why does Dad have to have that job?" asked Tony suddenly.

Tim looked up.

"You mean being an NCIS agent?" he asked.

"Yeah, and you? Why do you have to do that? It's dangerous and you might die?"

The fear in Tony's voice was obvious and Tim thought hard before answering.

"Well, I do it because I know that I'm helping to make the world a safer place," he said carefully. "By finding the men and women who do things to hurt people, I am able to make sure they are put away so they can never do it again."

"Yeah, but it means you might die," argued Tony.

Tim nodded.

"Yes, you're right, it does," he agreed solemnly. "But, if it means I am able to make a difference, to make the world a safer place for you and Ziva to grow up in, then it's a risk I'm willing to take."

"But you aren't really making a difference," said Tony dismally. "There's always more bad guys out there."

Tim paused for a moment, wondering what was the best way to tackle the overwhelming fear that was enveloping Tony.

"Tony, when I was a bit older than you, my grandmother, Penny once told me a story. I've never forgotten it, and I often remember it when I sometimes feel like you do now."

Tim turned slightly in the seat of the swing to ensure he had Tony's full attention.

"There was once a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work. One day, as he was walking along the shore, he noticed that the storm of the previous evening had washed up thousands upon thousands of starfish. They lay helplessly on the sand with no chance of survival. Looking down the beach, the wise man saw a small figure walking in the opposite direction.

As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young boy. The boy was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean. The wise man came closer still and called out

'Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?'

The young boy paused, looked up, and replied 'Throwing starfish into the ocean.'

'I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?' asked the somewhat startled wise man.

To this, the young boy replied, 'The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die.'

Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, 'But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!'

At this, the young boy bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water and floated with the tide, the boy said, 'It made a difference for that one.'"

Having finished the story, Tim rose from the swing and crouched down in front of Tony.

"You see Tony, Dad and I know our task is difficult and, sometimes, it can feel like we aren't getting anywhere. But then I remember that story and I think of every criminal we have caught, every victim we have rescued and I realize that we are making a difference. One by one, we are making a difference to individual lives."

For a while Tony didn't say anything. He simply stared across Tim's head to the ocean beyond. Suddenly his eyes filled with tears and, before Tim could ready himself, Tony flung himself into his brother's arms and sobbed.

"I told Dad he was just like Senior," he spluttered between the sobs. "I told him I hated him."

"Dad knows you did didn't mean it," soothed Tim, steadying himself and gently carding his fingers through Tony's hair.

"But I still said it," wailed Tony.

Looking up, Tim saw Gibbs approaching from the direction of the caravan park. Patting Tony's back he whispered gently,

"Well, here's your chance to tell him you're sorry."

Tony looked up and, seeing the strong figure of his Dad walking towards him, he untangled himself from Tim's grasp and rushed forward, leaping into his Dad's outstretched arms. Lifting Tony carefully, Gibbs took a seat on one of the picnic tables and held Tony close as the boy wept soulfully.

"I'm so sorry Dad, I'm so sorry," he whimpered into his Dad's chest. "I didn't mean it. You're nothing like Senior and I don't hate you at all."

"Oh Tony," soothed Gibbs, rubbing circles on Tony's back. "I know that Son, I know you didn't mean it."

"Why do you keep loving me when I'm so mean to you sometimes?" asked Tony.

"Tony, I'll never stop loving you, no matter what you do," replied Gibbs sincerely.

He pulled the boy away from his chest so they could see eye to eye.

"Do you hear me," he repeated firmly. "I. will. never. stop. loving. you."

Each word was said deliberately and forcefully.

When Gibbs could finally see the words has sunk into Tony's brain, he pulled the boy closer again and allowed the tears to fall freely. Looking up to see Tim staring uncomfortable into the distance wondering whether or not he should stay or leave, Gibbs reached out and touched Tim's arm. As the younger man made eye contact, Gibbs flashed a rare smile and mouthed with a genuine sincerity, 'thank you' before turning his attention back to his youngest son.

It wasn't long before the three of them were once again making their way back to the caravan. Tony was still held in Gibbs arms, his legs wrapped around his father's waist. It was a position the boy rarely allowed these days, feeling he was too old for such intimacies, but today things were different. Today he was happy to be held closely and reminded that he was a much loved son.

As their caravan came into view, Tony pulled away from his father and indicated he wanted to be put down. Knowing the boy wanted to enter the family home space in a state of maturity, Gibbs gently lowered the boy until both feet were firmly planted on the ground.

Before taking off, Tony looked at his father with an air of serious that had even Gibbs concerned.

"Thanks for throwing me back in the ocean Dad," said Tony solemnly. "Thanks for making a difference."

And with that, the young boy took off with a sprint, leaving Gibbs to look at Tim in completely confusion.

"Er… I told Tony a story Penny once told me," began Tim slowly.

When Gibbs raised his eyebrows quizzically, Tim continued.

"There was once a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing…"


	3. On the Road Again

**This chapter features one of my favourite roads in Australia - The Great Ocean Road. I have traveled along it many, many times and is an awesome piece of Australian roadway.**

 **Please note, our family is travelling in 2006 therefore, at that time, the 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires were the deadliest on record for Australia. Sadly in 2009, the Black Saturday bushfires of February 7** **th** **gained this unfortunate notoriety. It is also worth mentioning that the area our family is travelling through was hit by another devastating bushfire which began December 22** **nd** **2015 and burned out of control until February 19** **th** **2016, the worst day being that of Christmas day 2015 in which 116 houses were destroyed.**

 **Also mentioned in this chapter is the infamous "Pole House" located at Fairhaven. This was built in the 1970s and was an iconic landmark when travelling the Great Ocean Road. I remember always looking out for it when I was a child. Sadly in 2013 the house was demolished and a more modern, structurally sound building was put in its place.**

 **Things to Google \- The Great Ocean Road; Ash Wednesday bushfires 1983 - the Otways; The Pole House -Fairhaven and Split Point Lighthouse - Aireys Inlet.**

 **It's also worth reminding those from the US or Europe that in Australia we drive on the left hand side of the road, so you'll need to picture Gibbs sitting in the right front seat, Jenny in the left. Behind them, Tony sits behind Jenny and Ziva behind Gibbs. Then, behind them, (it's a seven seater car), Tim is behind Tony and Abby is behind Ziva.**

 **Hope you enjoy! Happy Easter!**

Chapter 3 - On the Road Again

By 9.00am the next morning, the family were packed and on the road again. They had decided the night before to pack up the annex and its furniture and, while this made for a cramped caravan, it was only for a short time and meant an earlier start.

"So, where's your DS, Tony?" asked Ziva knowing he had been given it back the previous evening.

Tony, choosing not to answer, continued starting out the car window as it sped past a desolate landscape of low growing bush scrub.

"Tony!" repeated Ziva trying to get the boy's attention.

As Tony still refused to answer, Ziva dug him in the ribs with her finger and said loudly, "Tony!"

"What!" yelled Tony in a tone of frustration and anger.

"Where's your DS?" repeated Ziva. "I know you got it back last night."

Sighing with exaggerated annoyance, Tony retorted, "Well then, you'll also know I can only play on it for an hour each day."

"Yeah," acknowledged Ziva. "So why aren't you playing on it now?"

"I don't want to waste my hour," replied Tony turning back to the uninteresting view out the window. "I'll save it for later tonight."

Unsatisfied with this response and bored with her current situation, Ziva decided to goad Tony further.

"I can play with mine anytime I want," she teased annoyingly.

"Well, bully for you," sneered Tony, still refusing to look at her.

"In fact," continued Ziva with an air of smugness. "I might just get it out now."

She leaned forward and rummaged through the pocket that hung over the back of her Dad's seat. Each child had been given a seat pocket to store whatever they thought they may need for each trip. Frowning slightly when she couldn't feel the familiar toy, Ziva tried to stretch herself closer to the seat in front but found she couldn't quite reach far enough to put her head into the pouch for a closer look.

Frowning again, Ziva stole a quick look at her parents in front of her. Her Dad was focused on the road listening to some talk back radio show and her Mom was resting her head on a pillow pushed against the window. Whether she was asleep or not, Ziva couldn't tell but she hoped, at least, her Mom's eyes would be closed. If she could just undo her buckle for a second, she'd be able to lean forward and have a better look in the carry pouch.

Looking down, Ziva silently pressed her thumb into the buckle and felt the release, relieved that no clicking sound had emanated from the device. Letting out a low breath, she was just about to slide the belt back over her shoulder when a shrill sound of beeping filled the car.

Distracted from the road, Gibbs frowned and looked at the center console, wondering what had suddenly caused the alarm to sound. Jenny, too, sat up and looked directly at the screen noticing straight away that one of the seatbelt diagrams had appeared.

"Who's taken off their seatbelt?" she asked, turning abruptly and staring into the back, looking first at Tony and Ziva then to Tim and Abby who were sitting behind them.

"Ziva did," informed Tony, pleased to be getting his sister back for her earlier taunting.

"Put it on now!" barked Gibbs crossly, his eyes flicking to the rear view mirror and glaring at his youngest.

Waiting until the picture disappeared, indicating that Ziva had done as she was told, Jenny asked, "Why did you take it off?"

"I couldn't see into my pocket," whined Ziva. "I was looking for my DS."

"You don't need to see into it," reasoned Jenny. "You can feel inside with your hands."

"I tried that," argued Ziva. "But I couldn't find it."

"Then it's probably not in there," concluded Jenny.

As Ziva slumped back into the seat with a loud 'hmpff', Jenny fixed her daughter with a disapproving glare.

"However," she continued sternly. "Under no circumstance do you ever take off your seatbelt when the car is moving. You've been told that before, young lady."

"But I couldn't reach," argued Ziva.

"I don't care," replied Jenny, her voice slightly raised in frustration. "If Daddy has to suddenly brake, we need to be sure that everyone in the car is securely in their seat."

"It was only for a second," muttered Ziva.

Tired of the arguing, Gibbs interrupted the conversation.

"Ziva, stop arguing!" he growled, continuing to focus on the road. "You do not take off your seatbelt under any circumstance while the car is moving. If you do it again, I will stop this car and spank your bottom. And trust me, the rest of the trip will not be pleasant."

"But," began Ziva.

She suddenly felt the car brake and begin to slow.

"OK!" she said quickly. "I won't do it again."

Putting his foot back on the accelerator, Gibbs grinned to himself as he concentrated, once again, on the road ahead.

Turning back in her seat, Jenny missed the exchange between Tony and Ziva as Tony grinned smugly at his sister who, in turn, responded by poking out her tongue at him.

After ten minutes the blissful silence in the car was interrupted as Tony asked, "How much further do we have until we get there?"

Lifting her head once again from the pillow, Jenny squinted at the GPS on the central console.

"An hour and forty-seven minutes," she answered, reading the small writing on the left hand side.

"Really?" groaned Tony. "That's ages yet. Is there anything to eat?"

"You've just had breakfast!" exclaimed Jenny.

"That was hours ago," whined Tony. "My stomach's rumbling from hunger.

"You're stomach's always rumbling," muttered Tim from the back.

"Yeah, well, I'm a growing boy," replied Tony defensively. "I need extra to help my system cope with all the growth spurts I'm having."

Tim snorted.

"What growth spurts," he sniggered under his breath.

"Tim," growled Gibbs in a warning tone.

Tim blushed and wondered, not for the first time, at how good Gibbs' hearing was.

"I am too growing!" replied Tony angrily.

His growth, or lack thereof, had always been a sensitive issue for Tony. If it wasn't for the fact that Gibbs knew he would grow to around 6'2", he would be concerned by his son's lack of height. However, he just assumed Tony must have been a late bloomer.

"Yes, you are," placated Jenny. "That's why we had to buy you new clothes when we first arrived here."

"Yeah, see Tim!" said Tony twisting around and giving Tim a scathing look.

Turning back to the front, Tony asked again, "So is there anything to eat?"

"Tony," groaned Jenny, "It's only a two and a half hour trip. I didn't pack any snacks. We'll be there before lunch."

"I can't wait until lunch!" exclaimed Tony. "I'll starve!"

"Yeah, me too," chimed in Ziva. "I'm starving too!"

"I could use a coffee," called Tim from the back of the SUV.

Abby, earphones firmly plugged into her iPod, was completely oblivious to the conversation happening around her.

Jenny sighed and looked at Gibbs.

"Actually I could use a coffee too," she said quietly. "How far is to the next town?"

"Well according to the last road sign, Anglesea is fifteen kilometers away," said Gibbs. "We could stop there?"

Jenny nodded in agreement then turned to the back.

"OK troops," she called out. "Next town is about fifteen kilometers away. We'll stop there and have a break."

"What's that in miles?" asked Tony, trying to do the math in his head.

"About eight or nine," replied Jenny.

"Nine point three two," supplied Tim from the back.

When Jenny and Tony stared at him, he held up his smart phone.

"I Googled it," he added, grinning back at them.

"So Google how long it'll take us to get there?" asked Tony.

"That's easy to work out Tony," replied Gibbs from the front. "We're travelling at a hundred kilometers an hour and we have to go fifteen kilometers. How many fifteens are there in one hundred?"

"How on earth should I know that!" exclaimed Tony indignantly. "Ask Tim, he's the one with the phone."

"No Tony, work it out," insisted Gibbs.

When Tony rolled his eyes, Gibbs said, "OK, let's make it a bit easier. We've probably traveled about five kilometers since I saw the sign, so let's say we have ten kilometers to go. How many tens in one hundred?"

"Ten," replied Tony grumpily.

"And what percentage of one hundred is ten?" continued Gibbs.

"That's too hard," sighed Tony.

When Gibbs raised an eyebrow, Tony rolled his eyes again and thought for a while before replying, "One tenth."

"Good," praised Gibbs. "So ten is one tenth of one hundred. Now, we're travelling one hundred kilometers an hour. So what is one tenth of an hour?"

"I'm too hungry to work that out," groaned Tony.

Ignoring him, Gibbs continued. "How many minutes in an hour?"

"Augh! Sixty," grumbled Tony.

"Right," agreed Gibbs. "So how many tens are there in sixty?"

"Six," replied Tony with even less enthusiasm.

So, six is one tenth of sixty, right?" asked Gibbs.

"If you say so," muttered Tony, staring out the window vaguely.

"So how long will it take us to travel ten kilometers if we are travelling at one hundred kilometers an hour?" asked Gibbs expectantly, briefly turning his head and facing Tony's blank face.

"You're looking at me as if I should know the answer?" replied Tony sarcastically.

"Six minutes!" shouted Ziva from the other side of the car.

"Good girl!" praised Jenny, surprised at the five year old's interjection. "How did you work that out?"

"'Cause Daddy said ten is one tenth of a hundred and six is one tenth of an hour so it must be six minutes," explained Ziva.

"That's exactly right Ziva," said Gibbs. "Good job."

"Great," muttered Tony. "Now I'm dumb as well as being short and hungry."

"You are not dumb!" growled Gibbs forcibly. "There's nothing wrong with your brain. You were just being lazy and not trying."

"Yeah, well I hate math," grumbled Tony.

"I love math," added Ziva cheerfully.

"I love math," mimicked Tony in a teasing tone.

"Well I was able to work it out," taunted Ziva, annoyed that Tony was teasing her despite having answered the question correctly.

Ignoring the banter behind her, Jenny laid her head back on the pillow and closed her eyes.

"You OK, Jen?" asked Gibbs, concern edging his voice.

Lifting her head, Jenny looked at him and smiled.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, stretching out her hand and placing it on his thigh. "I'm just a bit tired. I think the events of the last few weeks are finally catching up with me."

Taking her hand and squeezing it gently, Gibbs glanced quickly in her direction.

"You should try and have a nap this afternoon," he suggested.

Raising her eyebrows, she eyed him indignantly.

"What am I, five?" she retorted.

"No," he replied patiently. "I'm just suggesting that if you're tired a nap might do you the world of good."

Turning her head towards the window, she laid it back on the pillow.

"Yeah, we'll see," she muttered, closing her eyes and effectively ending the conversation.

Gibbs shook his head in frustration. Trying to get Jennifer Shepherd to do something she didn't want to do was all but impossible. Still, she had looked rather pale earlier and, for the majority of the trip so far this morning, her head had been attached to the pillow. He glanced briefly at her again, noting the peaked expression and dark circles under her eyes. Resolving to ensure she would take it easy once they arrived, Gibbs turned back to the road and couldn't help but feel relieved when the next road sign indicated that Anglesea was now only five kilometers away.

"Hey, there's the ocean!" called Tony pointing towards the left as the car rounded a bend and made its way towards the small seaside town. "I thought we must have traveled away from the coast."

"No," replied Gibbs. "It's always been to our left. It was just hidden behind all the bushes and scrub land.

Finding a double parking space near the main street, Gibbs pulled in and stopped the car. He turned around and faced his family.

"Tim, can you disconnect Abby please?" he asked, seeing Abby was still oblivious to anything going on around her.

Tim reached across and tapped Abby on the arm. Her eyes flew open and she looked at him, frowning.

"Turn it off," mouthed Tim, accompanying his words with a mimed representation of pulling imaginary ear plugs out of his ears.

Doing as asked, Abby turned off her iPod and looked around.

"Are we there already?" she asked in surprise.

"No, Abby," replied Gibbs. "We're just having a quick break."

"Can we go down to the ocean?" asked Ziva, looking excitedly at the waves crashing in the distance.

"This is just a quick stop, Ziva," answered Gibbs. "We won't be here long."

As everyone exited the car, Jenny gave a quick glance along the row of small shops.

"Over there, Jethro," she said, indicating a bakery not far from where they stood.

Taking Ziva's hand, she steered the little girl onto the footpath and lead the family in the direction of the store.

As the family entered the small bakery, a wonderful aroma of pastries, coffee and donuts wafted around them.

"Ooh, this place smells so good," said Abby appreciatively as she made a beeline to the glass fronted counter. Looking at the array of sweet pastries and cakes on display, she lovingly placed two hands on the front of the glass and stared hungrily.

"Oh my, I want one of everything!" she exclaimed.

"Can I help you?" asked the young girl from behind the counter.

"Oh you most certainly can," replied Abby, her eyes shining brightly.

As everyone picked out a sweet treat, Jenny ordered four coffees while Gibbs made his way to the refrigerator.

"Ziva, Tony," he called. "Do you want flavored milk or a juice?"

"Soda," replied Tony.

"Wasn't one of the options," retorted Gibbs.

"But, can I have a soda?" asked Tony.

Gibbs closed his eyes patiently before opening them again and saying, 'Flavored milk or juice?"

As Tony rolled his eyes and huffed, Gibbs glared at him.

"Do that again and the choice will be nothing," he warned, stepping aside while Ziva reached up and took down an apple juice from the shelf.

"Good girl," praised Gibbs. "Go and take it up to Mommy."

As Ziva did so, Tony sauntered over to the fridge and chose a chocolate flavored milk.

"Thank you," replied Gibbs, pleased that Tony hadn't continued to make a scene. "Go and take it up to Mom before you open it."

With their food and drinks purchased, the family found a table setting outside which overlooked the ocean. Taking a seat, they sat in contented silence as the pastries and cakes were devoured hungrily.

"Can I go for a quick walk up the street?" asked Abby, her cake and coffee finished.

"Sure," said Gibbs. "We'll come and get you when we're ready to go."

"Yes!" exclaimed Abby, grabbing her purse from the table. The cold sea air had awakened her senses and she was ready for a quick bout of retail therapy.

"Can I go with Abby?" asked Ziva, jumping up from the table.

"No, peanut," replied Jenny, taking hold of Ziva's arm and bringing her back into a seated position.

"But why not?" whined Ziva.

"Because Abby wants some time on her own," said Jenny. "And besides, you haven't finished eating yet."

"But I want to go with Abby," argued Ziva, turning around and watching wistfully as Abby headed towards the row of shops that looked so inviting.

"If you hurry up and finish that Danish, we can all go for a quick walk along the street," suggested Jenny.

Looking back down at the quarter Danish that was sitting on the table, Ziva picked it up and crammed it all into her mouth.

"Done!" she mumbled triumphantly, her mouth full of food.

Standing up, she made to walk away until Jenny caught her arm once again.

"Chew and swallow," rebuked Jenny. "We still have to wait for Tim and Tony to finish, so you can stop bouncing around and begin waiting patiently please."

After five long torturous minutes, Ziva was thrilled to see Tim take the last swig of his coffee.

"Finally!" she exclaimed. "Can we go now?"

Too tired to answer, Jenny stood along with the rest of the family and they all make their way across the street.

It wasn't long before they met up with Abby. She was browsing a shelf filled with local history books. She looked up and smiled as Tim stood next to her.

"Some of these are really interesting Timmy," she said. Leaning past Tim she reached out and took from the shelf a small soft cover book entitled Ash Wednesday.

"I think I might get this one," she commented, opening the book and flicking through some of the pages. "It tells about a really bad bush fire that went through this area in 1983. Some of the photographs are incredible."

Acknowledging her choice, Tim reached out and took from the shelf a book titled "The Great Ocean Road - A pictorial History. As he scanned the pages, he was also impressed with the photography and information found in the publication.

"I think I might get this one," he announced, looking up to show Abby.

Noticing he was alone, he surveyed the store and found Abby already at the counter. Following suit, Tim paid for the book before finding the rest of his family.

"Please Dad!"

Hearing Tony's begging plea, Tim made his way in the direction of the voice. He soon found the father and son standing in front of a table on which were displayed a garish collection of cheaply made tourist souvenirs.

"You really want _that_?" asked Gibbs, emphasizing the last word.

"Yeah," replied Tony enthusiastically.

Looking at what Tony was holding, Tim smiled when he saw it was a plastic shark with an enormous head attached to a stick. As Tony pulled on the stick, the shark's mouth opened and closed revealing blood stained teeth.

Seeing Tim approach, Tony beamed up at his big brother saying, "Hey Tim, look at this. Pretty cool hey!" And he gave Tim a demonstration of the ghoulish toy.

"Hmmm," replied Tim sarcastically. "Very realistic!"

Noticing the price was only $2.95, Gibbs reached into his wallet and pulled out a pink plastic note before handing it to Tony.

"This money is so weird," the boy said, holding the five dollar note up to the light. "It feels like a plastic bag."

Taking his purchase up to the counter, Tony paid for the shark and handed his father back a gold two dollar coin and a smaller silver coin worth five cents. Finding Ziva, he shoved the shark into her face and tried to get it to eat the little girl's hair.

"Hey, where did you get that?" she asked, pulling her hair away from the plastic carnivore.

"Dad let me buy it," he said, allowing the shark to go in for a second attack.

Leaving Tony standing with the shark now vigorously biting vacant space, Ziva raced away in search of her father. Finding him standing in front of a turnstile filled with postcards, she raced up to him and pulled at his arm.

"Daddy, can I have a shark too?" she asked enthusiastically.

Taking her hand, Gibbs led Ziva over to the table on which Tony had found the shark.

"OK," he said. "You have three dollars to spend. You can buy a shark like Tony or, if you see something else you'd like, you can get that instead."

"Yes! Thanks Daddy," she shrieked enthusiastically as she began to sort through the assortment of souvenirs in front of her.

It didn't take her long to find a small furry koala. The tiny creature, which was no more than three inches tall, was in a seated position and, in its tiny paws, it clasped an Australian flag. As Ziva picked it up, she discovered she could squeeze the shoulders of the koala and this opened and closed its paws.

"I want this please Daddy," she said, holding up the miniature marsupial.

Smiling at her choice, Gibbs dug into his pocket and pulled out an assortment of coins. Searching through them, he separated from the group two gold coins.

"I'll never understand why the dollar coin is larger than the two dollar coin," he mumbled more to himself than to Ziva as he handed her the money. "Seems backwards to me."

With their purchases finalized and paid for, the family headed out of the shop and made their way back to the SUV.

"I love this little koala," crooned Ziva. "Look, I can make him hug my shirt."

Pinching open the flexible paws, she bunched up the fabric of her shirt and attached the small creature to her chest.

"I can make mine grab things as well," blurted out Tony and, pulling open the shark's large mouth, he closed it over the small koala and pulled it off Ziva's shirt.

"Tony!" shouted Ziva indignantly. "Give it back!"

Taking flight, Tony ran around the car and caravan with Ziva in hot pursuit, holding the shark high in the air preventing his sister from being able to reach it.

"Give it back!" she yelled in frustration. "Daddy! Tony's got my koala!"

Snaking out his arm, Gibbs grabbed Tony in mid flight and held him hostage in his arms. Pulling the small, furry toy out of the shark's mouth, he handed it back to Ziva.

"Stop teasing your sister," he admonished, pointing a rebuking finger towards the boy who stood panting from his earlier chase.

"I wasn't," he defended. "I can't help it if Fang likes to eat furry creatures."

"Fang?" questioned Gibbs, giving Tony an incredulous look. "Really?"

"I think it's a good name for him," replied Tony. "Fang, the koala eating shark!" he added dramatically, holding the shark in the air in a triumphant show of victory.

"Sharks don't eat koalas," replied Ziva crossly.

"Fang does," argued Tony with an air of indifference.

"Fang will find himself in timeout in a minute," interjected Gibbs, putting a stop to the bickering children. "Along with his two legged accomplice. Now get in the car please," he added, opening the back right passenger door to allow Tony to hop in.

"How can I go in timeout if we're just sitting in the car?" asked Tony cheekily, crawling across the back seat and sitting down before pulling on his seatbelt.

"You'll do the timeout when we get the van set up," replied Gibbs, securing Ziva's belt before closing the door and effectively ending the conversation.

"Looks like we'd better watch ourselves Fang," said Tony to his toy shark once his father had shut the door. "No eating koalas unless I give you the secret signal."

"No, Tony!" cried Ziva. "You leave my koala alone!"

"I'm not hurting your koala," argued Tony annoyingly. "It's Fang who wants to eat him."

Pointing the shark in Ziva's direction, he pulled on the stick a couple of times making the shark snap menacingly in Ziva's direction.

Furrowing her brows in an expression of pure fury, Ziva reached out to grab the plastic toy. But, for once, her reflexes weren't as sharp as usual and Tony managed to pull the shark away just in time.

"Mwahahaha," he teased making the shark look as if it was laughing evilly at Ziva. "I shall not be beaten!"

Pinching the koala's paws so they gripped the seat belt near her shoulder, Ziva crossed her arms angrily and stared mutinously out of the window. Frowning once again, she began plotting revenge.

As Gibbs pulled forward out of the parking space and onto the main road, the occupants of the car settled themselves, ready for the second leg of their journey. Jenny, her head on the pillow once again, closed her eyes and felt herself slowly drift off to sleep with the steady hum of the engine lulling her softly.

"Oh wow! Look at the view," exclaimed Abby from the back of the seven seater SUV. "It's spectacular!"

Opening her eyes again, Jenny started out the window. She had to agree with Abby, the view was stunning.

They were currently travelling along The Great Ocean Road, a scenic coastal road that wound its ways along the southern coast of Victoria affording the sightseer to spectacular views of the ocean, rugged cliff tops and jagged rock formations.

"It's beautiful," agreed Jenny.

"Oh no!" suddenly cried Abby.

"What?" asked Gibbs, his voice full of concern thinking something must have happened. But, as he looked at Abby through the rear vision mirror, he saw that she had her nose firmly planted in the book she had just purchased.

"It says here," continued Abby. "This whole area was totally destroyed by a devastating bushfire that burned through here in 1983."

She became quiet again as she continued reading to herself.

"Well, don't leave it there," remarked Jenny, her interest sparked. "Read out what it says."

"Oh OK," replied Abby.

She cleared her throat and began reading.

 _'The Ash Wednesday bushfires were a series of bushfires that occurred in south-eastern Australia on 16 February 1983, which was Ash Wednesday in the Christian calendar. Within twelve hours, more than 180 fires fanned by winds of up to 110 km/h (68 mph) caused widespread destruction across the states of Victoria and South Australia. Years of severe drought and extreme weather combined to create one of Australia's worst fire days in a century. The fires became the deadliest bushfire in Australian history. In Victoria, 47 people died, while in South Australia there were 28 deaths. This included 14 CFA and 3 CFS volunteer fire-fighters who died across both states that day. Many fatalities were as a result of firestorm conditions caused by a sudden and violent wind change in the evening which rapidly changed the direction and size of the fire front. The speed and ferocity of the flames, aided by abundant fuels and a landscape immersed in smoke, made fire suppression and containment impossible. In many cases, residents fended for themselves as fires broke communications, cut off escape routes and severed electricity and water supplies. Up to 8,000 people were evacuated in Victoria at the height of the crisis and a state of disaster was declared for the first time in South Australia's history._

 _Ash Wednesday was one of Australia's costliest natural disasters. Over 3,700 buildings were destroyed or damaged and 2,545 individuals and families lost their homes. Livestock losses were very high, with over 340,000 sheep, 18,000 cattle and numerous native animals either dead or later destroyed. A total of 4,540 insurance claims were paid totalling $AUS176 million with a total estimated cost of well over $400 million (1983 values) for both states._

 _The emergency saw the largest number of volunteers called to duty from across Australia at the same time—an estimated 130,000 fire-fighters, defence force personnel, relief workers and support crews.'**_

Abby paused for a moment before saying, "Wow, in this area alone 782 houses were destroyed, over 100,000 acres burnt and three people killed."

She continued scanning the information silently.

Finally she looked up.

"The pictures are horrific. So much devastation," she said quietly.

"Can I see?" asked Ziva, twisting around in her seat to get a better look at the book.

"In a minute," replied Abby. "I just want to look for a bit longer. It says the towns of Aireys Inlet and Fairhaven were almost completely destroyed."

"Aireys Inlet?" said Gibbs. "I just saw a sign for that. It's the next town we'll travel through."

"Oh wow!" exclaimed Abby, interrupting Gibbs and pointing to a photograph in the book. "You should see this house. It's called the 'Pole House' and literally juts out over the cliff top. Apparently it wasn't destroyed in the fire and is still standing today. It's just past Fairhaven.

"We'll have to look out for it," said Jenny.

"Can we go in it?" asked Tony.

"No," replied Abby. "It's privately owned. But you can see from the road."

Abby closed the book and handed it over the back of Ziva's seat, giving it to the little girl to look through. Taking it eagerly, Ziva was soon pouring over the numerous photographs showing the ferocity of the intense flames as it burnt out of control along with photographs of the devastating aftermath depicting a blackened landscape and fire ravaged homes.

After a few minutes Ziva felt the car begin to slow. Looking out the front window, between her parents, she noticed they were now driving through a small town.

"This is Aireys Inlet," informed Gibbs, answering Ziva's question before she'd had time to ask it.

Looking out each window of the car, Ziva frowned.

"How come it doesn't look all burnt?" she asked.

Tony snorted and Ziva scowled at him.

"Honey, the fire was over twenty three years ago," explained Gibbs. "Everything has been rebuilt and the land has had chance to recover and grow again."

Nodding her understanding, Ziva stared out the front window.

"What's that?" she exclaimed, pointing at the tall white building which could be seen in the distance.

"It looks like a light house?" replied Gibbs.

"We have a lighthouse in Tel Aviv but it doesn't look like that," remarked Ziva. "Can we go and see it?"

"If we're able to drive up to it, we will," said Gibbs.

"You can," replied Tim from the back. "It says here in my book that it's a tourist spot.

Tim cleared his throat and read aloud from his book.

 _"Split Point Lighthouse, originally called Eagles Nest Point, was constructed in 1891. It was converted to automatic operation in 1919. The lighthouse has 132 stairs from top to bottom and is 34 meters tall."_

"Wow!" exclaimed Tony. "Can we go inside and climb the stairs?"

"Yeah! Can we?" repeated Ziva enthusiastically.

"Let's wait until we get there," said Gibbs, the sudden thought of climbing all those stairs making his knee ache in anticipation. "It may not be open to the public."

"Yeah it is," called Tim helpfully.

Gibbs shot him a withering look.

"It says here," Tim continued. "Tours are 30 minutes long and run on the hour starting at 11am until 3pm.

He glanced quickly at his watch.

"Oh we're too early," he said with disappointment. "It's only 10.30."

"Can't we wait, please Daddy," begged Ziva.

Looking through the rear view mirror at the expectant faces of his four children, Gibbs sighed in defeat. Silently apologizing to his knee, he smiled back at his brood and nodded his consent.

"Yay!" shouted Tony and Ziva in unison.

"I'll race you to the top!" added Ziva, turning to Tony.

"No you won't," interjected Gibbs. "There'll be no running on the stairs."

Seeing his young daughter pout in her seat, Gibbs smiled to himself before turning to Jenny.

"You ready to climb 132 stairs?" he asked, noticing she had opened her eyes and was staring out at the view.

She turned and looked at him.

"I don't think I can," she replied softly. "I'm way too tired today."

"Are you sure you're OK," Gibbs asked, frowning with concern as he looked at her pale face.

"I don't know," she replied. "My head feels really fuzzy and I'm starting to regret that Danish I ate."

Gibbs stretched out his left hand and placed it on her forehead.

"You don't feel overly hot," he surmised. "I don't think you have a fever."

"Hmmm," mumbled Jenny, closing her eyes again. "I think I will take up your earlier suggestion though and have a nap when we get set up."

"Definitely," agreed Gibbs, giving her a quick look before focusing again on the road ahead.

As the car turned towards the lighthouse, the family stared in awe at the tall white structure that loomed before them. Parking the car, Gibbs turned to the four in the back.

"Mom's not feeling well so she's going to stay in the car," he began quietly. "When we get out, I want you to all stay together. Ziva, you need to be holding someone's hand the whole time we are outside."

"Oh, why?" whined Ziva.

"Because, it's very windy out here, we are up fairly high and I don't want to see you skydiving over the edge without a parachute!"

Ziva giggled.

"I wouldn't go over the edge." she said scornfully.

"Well, I'm not taking any chances," replied Gibbs. "OK?"

"Alright," she conceded grumpily.

Having kissed an almost sleeping Jenny goodbye, Gibbs exited the car and, taking Ziva's hand, led the family up the path to the lighthouse. They spent some time looking around the grounds and particularly at the restored cottages that would have been the homes of the lighthouse keeper, his family and any other workmen needed to run the lighthouse.

By the time they had explored the surrounds, it was time for the first tour. Being winter and still reasonably early, there was only one other family besides themselves waiting to take the tour. Ziva and Tony eyed the three children waiting with their parents, two boys and a small girl who looked to be about three years old. The boys were older, possibly around ten and twelve and stood patiently behind their parents.

As both families waited for the tour guide to arrive, the two older boys moved slightly away from their parents so they were almost standing next to Tony.

"Hey," greeted the older of the two boys.

"Hi," replied Tony.

"My name's Josh," the older boy said, "and this is my brother Luke."

The younger of the two boys smiled.

"I'm Tony," replied Tony, "and this is my little sister Ziva."

"Oh that's our little sister Laura," added Josh, nodding towards his Dad who held the small girl on his hip. "She's only three. I'm thirteen and Luke's ten.

"I'm eleven," said Tony. "And Ziva is five."

"Five and a half," interrupted Ziva. "In fact I'm nearly six."

Tony rolled his eyes at the two boys.

"Not until November," he said quietly.

"Are you from America?" asked Luke. "You sound like you are."

"Yeah," said Tony. "We're on vacation. We're headed up to the center of Australia."

"Wow," said Josh. "We're only going to Warrnambool. We're on school holidays until the end of next week. Then we go back home to Melbourne."

Tony nodded.

"We're here for about six weeks," he added.

The four children were silent for a few minutes before Josh spoke again.

"Is that your Mum and Dad?" he asked pointing at Tim and Abby.

Tony looked in the direction Josh was pointing.

"No, that's Abby and Tim our older brother and sister," explained Tony. He then pointed to Gibbs. " _That's_ our dad."

"Where's your Mum?" asked Luke. "Are your parents split?"

"Nah," replied Tony. "Mom's in the car. She's having a rest."

'So where are-" began Josh, but was his question was interrupted by the appearance of, what they assumed was, the tour guide.

Wearing a pair of blue gabardine pants and a red flannel shirt, the man stood about six foot five inches tall meaning that everyone was craning their necks to look into the piercing blue eyes. The rugged beard, flecked with grey was offset by the salt and pepper shoulder length hair.

The man introduced himself as 'Bob' and began to explain the history of the lighthouse, beginning with it constructions in 1891 and focusing on the British male Fresnel Lens which, due to the wartime bombing of the Birmingham factory in which it was made, is now irreplaceable.

Noting the children were no longer paying attention, Bob grinned before saying.

"However, the Split Point Lighthouse is probably most famous for its appearance in many television shows most famously being, the children's television series "Round the Twist."

Tony's ears pricked at the mention of TV.

"I told you it was the same lighthouse," shouted Luke to his older brother.

Seeing everyone's face turn to him, Luke blushed and said, "Josh didn't believe me when I said this was the same lighthouse in Round the Twist."

"It also features prominently as the murder scene in Arthur Upfield's detective novels," added Bob smiling now that he had the children's attention.

"Cool," said Tony. "I bet the bad guy tosses him off the top."

"Yeah," agreed Luke. "Or, chucks him down the spiral staircase."

As the two boys relished in their murderous plot ideas, Bob opened the door and directed everyone inside. Making their way to the bottom of the stair case, Ziva looked up and her eyes widened in disbelief.

"It's so high!" she exclaimed in an awed whisper. "Are we really going to climb all the way up?"

"Sure are," replied Bob cheerfully.

Gibbs responded with a less than enthusiastic smile and noticed the other set of parents were just as daunted at the prospect as he was.

With Bob leading the way, the small group began to ascend the tight spiral staircase.

"Hey," whispered Tony to Luke, "Wouldn't it be neat to slide down this banister all the way to the bottom?"

"Cool!" replied Luke, 'I bet we…."

"Don't even think about it!" echoed the stern reply from both fathers speaking at the exact same time.

Exchanging looks, the two adults smiled at each other while the two boys slumped their shoulders and continued climbing.

By the time they reached the top, Gibbs felt it hadn't been as bad as he had first thought. Bob made an effort to stop every couple of flights to explain a small piece of trivia and allow people to look out through the small rectangular windows.

Stepping out onto the balcony, the small group were treated to a three hundred and sixty degree view of the ocean and the township of Aireys Inlet.

"Look Daddy!" squealed Ziva in delight. "There's Mommy!"

She waved her arms excitedly as Gibbs and Tony looked across to see Jenny standing by the car and waving back at them. They watched as she held her phone up, obviously taking a couple of photos.

"The view is amazing!" exclaimed Abby breathlessly. "You can see for miles and miles."

After a few minutes, Bob indicated it was time to go back down and held the door open as the group shuffled past and into the main body of the lighthouse.

"Tony," called Gibbs as he watched the boy race on ahead. "Do not go down the stairs. Wait for Bob to lead the way."

"But Dad," whined Tony. "It's not like I can get lost."

"I'm not worried about you getting lost," replied Gibbs. "It's a safety thing. Bob needs to go first."

Despite the eye roll and exaggerated sigh, Tony stepped back and allowed Bob to pass by.

Descending the stairs, they didn't stop much at all and, other than the odd question here and there, the walk was almost in silence. It wasn't long before they were back on terra firma and thanking Bob for the informative tour.

Climbing back into the car, Tony and Ziva were full of excited chatter while Abby and Tim were just happy to sit down and plug into their iPods.

"And," said Tony having sprouted nothing but facts to Jenny from the moment he had buckled his seat belt. "The lighthouse has been on TV in a kids show called 'Round the Twist'. I wonder if we can get it on DVD?"

"I don't know Tony," replied Gibbs wearily. "How about you rest your voice for a bit hey?"

"Hmmm, OK," grumbled Tony.

He looked over at Ziva who was busily trying to color on her steady tray while the car gently jostled her about, occasionally reaching out to stop a stray pencil from falling off as the car rounded a bend.

They had traveled for about ten minutes when Abby suddenly shouted from the back.

"There it is!" she yelled excitedly.

Everyone, except Gibbs who eyed her through the rear view mirror, turned to see Abby pointing out towards the right. Looking in that direction, it wasn't long before they saw was what she was pointing at.

"It's that Pole house!" called Tony enthusiastically. "Oh wow! How do you get up there?"

Gibbs, noticing there was no one behind them, slowed the car and eventually pulled over to the edge of the road. He noticed a pull off spot and assumed it had been created from other drivers doing the same thing.

From where they were parked, it looked like the house literally balanced on a pole, suspended in mid air. However, as they looked at the pictures in Abby's book, they could see that a walk way extended from the back of the house and allowed access from the top of the hillside.

"I wish I could live there," said Tony. "I'd make a rope swing that would send me swinging down to the ocean every morning."

"And how would you get back up?" asked Tim sceptically.

"Um…." Tony thought for a minute. "I know! I would put a lift inside the pole that would send me shooting up to the top in just a few seconds."

Tim smiled at Tony's imagination.

"I reckon I'd want to live there too then," he added as Tony grinned at him.

After a couple of minutes, the car was back on the road, steadily making its way around the bends and curves of the Great Ocean Road. Due to towing a caravan, there were sections of the road that required Gibbs to slow down considerably meaning that within about fifteen minutes of driving, he had accumulated quite a build up of traffic behind him.

"Dad, you've got a huge line up of cars behind you," informed Tony helpfully.

"Yeah, thanks Bud," replied Gibbs smiling to himself. "I had noticed that too. We're coming into a small town soon. I'll pull over and let them pass."

As the car made its way into the next town, Gibbs pulled over to the left and allowed the long stream of traffic to pass him. Watching as the steady stream of traffic trickled by her window, Ziva made it her mission to wave at every person she could see. Every now and then one of them would wave back, causing a huge grin to erupt on the little girl's face.

"Ziva!" admonished Tony. "That's so embarrassing."

"No it's not," argued Ziva. "We don't know any of them. Come and wave with me, it's fun!"

Thinking she was right, Tony shuffled over and began to wave vigorously as well. He was just beginning to get into the spirit of the game when he suddenly spotted Josh and Luke in the next car. Realizing it was too late to hide, Tony waited for the scornful look to appear on the boys' faces. But, to his enormous surprise and delight, the boys grinned widely and waved just as vigorously back.

"Mom! That was Josh and Luke," explained Tony, pointing to the white station wagon that was now ahead of the car. "Remember? We met them at the lighthouse."

"I remember," said Jenny, lifting her head from the pillow. "I wonder if they're going to Apollo Bay as well?"

"Nah," replied Tony. "Josh said they were going to a place starting with W. Warenble or something like that. Can't remember."

"Oh well," sighed Jenny. "You never know. We might meet up with them again."

"Hope so," said Tony enthusiastically. "They were cool."

As the last car zoomed by, Gibbs pulled out onto the road again.

"Not long to go now," he said as they passed a green sign indicating that Apollo Bay was only 55km away.

"Excellent!" said Tony, settling back into his seat. "'Cause I'm starving!"

"What?" he asked indignantly as everyone around him groaned loudly.

"Nothing Tony," replied Gibbs chuckling to himself. "Nothing at all!"

**Abby's information on the Ash Wednesday bushfires, was taken from the DEPI (Dept of Environment and Primary Industries) website as well as Wikipedia.


	4. A Sorrow Shared

**AN: Many thanks to those of you who reviewed the last chapter. I really appreciate you taking the time. Your reviews keep me inspired to write. xx**

 **Not sure if everyone knows what a banana lounge is so I'd suggest you Google it for an image if not sure. It's basically a fold out, reclining deck chair.**

 **This chapter is shorter than normal but I felt it needed to finish where it did. Besides, the previous chapter was nearly 8000 words so it evens out :)**

Chapter 4 - A Sorrow Shared

"For the last time Jen, go and rest on the bed," ordered a frustrated Gibbs.

"But you still need to put the annex up," argued Jenny, trying to step around Gibbs to get to the door of the van.

"Yes, and I have two willing and able adults who can help me," reasoned Gibbs. "You're not doing anyone any favours by being stubborn."

Jenny's eyes flashed angrily.

"I'm not being stubborn," she replied curtly. "The annex needs putting up, stuff needs unpacking and the kids need lunch."

She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the man who stood in her way.

"All things I am more than capable of handling myself with the help of Abby and Tim," retorted Gibbs.

Seeing Jenny sigh and roll her eyes in frustration, Gibbs took hold of her shoulders and led her into the back bedroom.

"No arguing," he said with an air of authority. "You're pale, tired and have barely been able to lift your head for most of the morning."

As Jenny dropped her head in acknowledgment, Gibbs took this as a sign of agreement and continued by saying, "Even you said you needed a nap. Now's your chance. Take it! Who knows when you'll have an opportunity to do so again."

Nodding her head in reluctant agreement, Jenny sighed.

"OK," she acquiesced. Then, narrowing her eyes with an edge of defiance, she added, "But only because I'm too tired to argue."

"Fine," replied Gibbs, grinning slightly. "Whatever you say, dear."

He turned her around and, after placing a gentle kiss on the top of her head, pushed her encouragingly towards the bed.

"Don't patronize me, Jethro," she retorted angrily, spinning back to face him and placing her hands on her hips. "I'm not Ziva!"

"Then stop acting like Ziva," replied Gibbs with an annoying air of arrogance.

Pursing her lips, Jenny crossed her arms once again and glared.

"Bed!" ordered Gibbs before turning abruptly and leaving the room before she could argue further.

Exiting the van, Gibbs found Tim, Abby, Ziva and Tony making attempts to unroll the annex. Several poles lay abandoned on the grass while an array of tent pegs were strewn across the ground. With backsides in the air, the four of them were slowly moving backwards as the canvas unwound itself from its tight confines.

"Good job men," praised Gibbs as he looked around at the determined faces.

"Daddy!" exclaimed Ziva, standing abruptly and placing her hands on her hips. She looked so much like Jenny at that moment, Gibbs had to use all his self control not to laugh out loud. She was obviously affronted by his wording.

"Abby and I are not men," she admonished.

"It's just a saying Ziva," explained Tim trying to calm the feisty little girl who refused to be placated.

"Well it isn't right," she persisted crossly.

"You're right honey," replied a chastened Gibbs. "Good job gang! There, is that better?"

He looked at the scowl on Ziva's face and was pleased to see it dissipate into a wide smile.

"Much!" she replied nodding her head in satisfaction before returning to the task at hand.

They made short work of assembling the annex despite Tony's and Ziva's attempts to use the poles as weapons of mass destruction. A hollered 'Hey!' along with an intimidating Marine glare, had both children back on task and fitting the poles together with pristine precision.

By one o'clock the family, minus Jenny who had finally fallen asleep, were ready for lunch. Tim, Tony and Ziva sat around the table in the annex while, in the van, Gibbs and Abby quickly made a round of sandwiches for everyone.

"I don't want ham," reminded Ziva for the third time in as many minutes.

"I know Ziva," replied Gibbs wearily. "I heard you the first two times."

"Just making sure," said Ziva, poking her head into the caravan to supervise how close to serving lunch the two adults were. Spying suspicious green leaves protruding from every sandwich, she added, "And Tony said he didn't want lettuce."

Gibbs looked up, butter knife still held in his hand.

"Tony knows the rules where lettuce is concerned," he replied. Then, pointing the knife in Ziva's direction he added, "And you need to sit down at the table, Missy."

"Daddy," she admonished for the second time that hour. "You shouldn't point knives at people unless you intend to kill them."

Raising an eyebrow, he glared at Ziva.

"Sit!" he ordered.

Huffing indignantly, Ziva crossed her arms and made her way back to the table.

"Well, you shouldn't point knives at people," she repeated self-righteously for the benefit of Tim and Tony.

Ignoring her, Tony stood and made his own way to the open door of the van.

"Why is it Ziva doesn't have to have ham but I have to have lettuce?" he asked belligerently.

"Because, Tony," explained Gibbs impatiently, "Both Ham and Cheese are a protein where as lettuce is a vegetable. Having only one protein is fine."

"But that's just dumb!" argued Tony sullenly.

"Dumb or not, it's the way it is," growled Gibbs.

Picking up two plates he handed them to Tony.

"Here," he said, as Tony reached out for the sandwiches. "Take this one to Tim and this one is yours."

Suddenly smiling to himself, Tony took the plates to the table. But, instead of placing the second plate in front of Tim, he gave it to Ziva.

"Here you go," he said as he let go of the plate. "Dad said you have to have the ham as well."

"No he didn't," argued Ziva, looking disgustedly at the pink meat hanging over the edge of the bread.

"Did so," teased Tony. "And, he said if you don't eat it, you'll have to go to bed."

With tears forming in her eyes, Ziva stood up from the table and wailed loudly, "Daddy! I said I didn't want ham and it's not fair to send me to bed!"

"Shh," growled Gibbs as he and Abby emerged from the van, carrying the remaining sandwiches. "You'll wake Mom!"

Looking at the plate sitting in Ziva's place, it didn't take a genius to figure out what had happened. But, before he had chance to speak, Ziva dissolved into tears.

"But it's not fair!" she cried accusingly. "Tony said I had to eat it otherwise you'd send me to bed. And you know I don't like ham."

Without a word, Gibbs put the hamless sandwich in front of Ziva and placed the offending ham sandwich in front of Tim. Seeing Ziva's tears dry up immediately as she picked up her sandwich and spied only cheese and lettuce, Gibbs reached out and took hold of Tony's arm, dragging him from the table and out of the annex.

Bending down to the boy's height, Gibbs murmured dangerously, "The only person who will be spending the afternoon in bed is you, Mister! I have no idea what is going on in that head of yours, but you need to stop this annoying behavior and smarten up young man. Do you hear me?"

"I was just having a bit of fun," argued Tony sullenly

"You need to learn the difference between what's fun and what's annoying," growled Gibbs.

"S'not my fault Ziva doesn't have a sense of humor," grumbled Tony rudely.

Resisting the urge to turn the boy sideways and deliver a sharp swat, Gibbs took a deep breath and spoke in a tone that was, if possible, even more dangerously quiet.

"Keep up that smart mouth and you'll find yourself not only in bed for the rest of today, but sporting a sore backside as well. You may be eleven years old, but if you want to act like a five year old, I'll treat you like one. Got it!"

When Tony pursed his mouth and refused to answer, Gibbs held out his hand and hovered it over the boy's backside.

"Got it!" yelped Tony, twisting his body away from the menacing palm.

"Good!" said Gibbs. "Now get inside and eat your lunch."

Watching the retreating figure of his son enter the annex, Gibbs wondered, not for the first time, whether he was going to survive Tony's teenage years. If this was his behavior at eleven, he dreaded to think what he was going to be like by thirteen.

After lunch, Gibbs and Tim decided to take Tony and Ziva to the game's room and playground in an effort to quell some of the pent up energy oozing from both children.

Choosing to stay behind and read a book, Abby settled herself on the banana lounge in the annex and picked up the horror novel she was currently halfway through. Hearing a noise behind her, Abby looked up to see Jenny emerging from the van.

"Hey there," greeted Abby. "You look terrible."

"Gee thanks, Abbs," retorted Jenny. "Just what I need to hear."

"Sorry," giggled Abby. "But you're not looking great. How are you feeling?"

"Awful," replied Jenny, spying a second banana lounge and lowering herself onto it. "I just can't shake this headache and the thought of food makes me want to vomit."

"Well I guess that answers my next question," said Abby with a smile. When Jenny looked at her quizzically, she continued, "I was going to ask if you wanted me to make you a sandwich."

"Thanks, but I'll pass."

Closing her eyes, Jenny leaned her head back on the lounge and slowly exhaled a long breath.

Eyeing her closely, Abby wondered if she should ask the next question that was on her mind. Although she felt close to Jenny, she still wasn't quite sure on how to broach the subject.

"Just say it."

Jenny tired voice interrupted her silent musings and Abby turned with surprise.

"Say what?" she asked innocently.

"Whatever it is that's on your mind," replied Jenny, her eyes still closed. "I can hear your brain rattling from here."

"Oh," was all Abby could muster.

After a brief moment of silence, Jenny opened her eyes and looked pointedly at Abby.

"So," she encouraged. "What is it?"

Abby chewed her lip, still unsure of how to begin.

Suddenly, guessing what Abby was trying to say, Jenny let out a low snort.

"No Abby," she said deliberately. "I'm not."

"Um….not what?" replied Abby, her face turning red as she realized Jenny had read her thoughts just as easily as if she'd been reading the book that now lay in her lap.

Rolling her eyes, Jenny sat up straight and swung her legs around so that they were planted once again on the ground. Looking into Abby's green eyes, Jenny said with deliberation, "I'm not pregnant."

If possible, Abby blushed even deeper.

"I…er…um…" she stuttered.

"Abby," growled Jenny playfully. "You're sounding like Tim."

Abby laughed; a low, embarrassed chuckle.

"Sorry," she said sheepishly. "It's just that, well, you were kind of displaying all the signs."

"Oh really?" questioned Jenny derisively. "I think you'll also find I'm displaying all the signs for stomach 'flu, or a cold or even just stress."

"Yeah, I guess," agreed Abby. "It's just that," she said again.

"Abbs, just because Gibbs and I are in a relationship, please don't assume that every little ailment automatically means I'm pregnant."

Abby looked down sheepishly.

"So…er…you don't want me to grab you a pregnancy test from the drug store?"

"No!" answered Jenny emphatically. "I don't!"

"Are you sure?" asked Abby tentatively. "It's no trouble, honestly."

Abby watched as Jenny's face took on an expression she rarely saw in the older woman. Was it wistfulness, sadness, contemplation? Whatever it was, it had Abby concerned.

"What's wrong?" she asked, reaching out and taking Jenny's hand in hers.

Jenny let out a small laugh which held no humor or joy.

"Abbs," she began softly. "You won't ever have to buy me a pregnancy test. I…," Jenny took a deep breath. "I can't have children."

She looked away, not wanting to see the sadness or pity in Abby's eyes.

"I'm…I'm sorry," whispered Abby, squeezing Jenny's hand. "I didn't realize."

"Of course you didn't, Abbs," replied Jenny, smiling at the younger woman reassuringly. "How could you?"

"Are you sure?"

This was not the first time Jenny had been forced to answer this question. She remembered only too well answering it when it had come from Gibbs.

"Yes, Abbs, I'm sure," she replied softly.

Deciding Abby deserved to hear the whole story, she continued.

"Many years ago, La Guenouille killed my father when he refused to do what Grenouille wanted. That much you know. What you don't know, what most people don't know, is, that night he also raped me."

"Oh Jenny," gasped Abby, raising her hands to her mouth. Her eyes filled with tears as she listened to Jenny relive the worst time of her life.

Composing herself and taking a deep breath, Jenny continued.

"About 10 weeks later, I started having severe abdominal pains. I was nauseous and I was bleeding. To be honest, I just put it down to having period cramps. I'd never really been very regular and often had painful periods. So, I ignored it."

Jenny cleared her throat and briefly made eye contact with Abby before looking away and continuing her story.

"Well, a week later, I was in a real mess. I was in excruciating pain and could barely stand. Thank God Noemi was there. Just as she dialed 911 for an ambulance, I collapsed. Apparently, and obviously I don't remember this, I started hemorrhaging. By the time the ambulance arrived, the floor was covered in blood and I was almost dead."

Sitting in stunned silence, Abby hung on every word Jenny uttered. Tears fell unashamedly down her cheeks and she made no effort to wipe them away.

"They told me later it was an ectopic pregnancy," Jenny said, her voice calm and without emotion. "The fetus had begun growing in the fallopian tube until it eventually ruptured. I guess I should have recognized the signs but, I hadn't even thought about the possibility of being pregnant. Anyway, they rushed me in for emergency surgery. The rupture and subsequent hemorrhaging was so bad my left fallopian tube was removed. When I awoke and they told me what had happened, the doctor assured me that, despite only having one fallopian tube, it was still possible for me to conceive. That was until the infection set in and eight days later my other fallopian tube along with my uterus and cervix had to be removed."

Jenny paused.

Staring into nothingness she said in a deadpan voice, "A partial hysterectomy they called it."

She looked at Abby and gave a low, mocking laugh.

"'We managed to save your ovaries,' they told me cheerfully. Like I was supposed to be grateful or something. I mean what good are ovaries if there's nothing there for a baby to grow in? Oh, I know," continued Jenny as if answering her own question. "It would mean I wouldn't need hormone replacement therapy, but it also meant I would never be a mother."

Pausing once again, Jenny took a deep breath and said with false bravado, "So, that's why I'm sure Abby. That's why I'll never need to buy a pregnancy test."

The silence fell over them like a heavy blanket. Abby had no idea of what to say. She wanted to offer comfort, words of hope but everything she thought of saying would either sound cliché or patronizing. Instead, she did the only thing that felt natural. She stood up and crossed the small distance between them, before falling on her knees and wrapping the older woman in a bone crushing hug as if to squeeze all the sadness out of her.

"I'm…I'm so sorry, Jenny," she whispered.

The two embraced for a long time. The heavy blanket slowly lifting as a comfortable silence replaced the gloom.

Finally Abby pulled away. Brushing the tears from her cheeks and sniffing loudly, she looked into Jenny's face. The older woman shed no tears, showed no emotion. Abby realized that, despite accepting her diagnoses many years ago, Jenny refused to allow the emotion of what this truly meant to engulf her. The younger girl wondered if Jenny had ever given herself permission to grieve over this loss or, like so many other tragedies she had endured, she simply bottled up the emotions in a jar and stored it on a shelf, never to be opened or dealt with.

Sitting back on her chair, Abby wiped away the last of her tears and looked directly into Jenny's green eyes.

"You're wrong about one thing though," the younger girl said confidently.

Jenny frowned.

"What do you mean?" she asked, confused at Abby's proclamation.

"You said, you'll never be a mother," replied Abby. "You were wrong. You are a mother, Jenny. You don't have to carry a baby for nine months in order to be a mother. Loving and caring for a child, in your case two children, gives you that title just as suredly as if you'd given birth to them. Ziva and Tony love you and accept you as their Mom. You've been doubly blessed."

For the first time since they had started talking, Abby saw the green eyes in front of her sparkle with moisture and a tiny tear slowly escaped, making its way down the soft, pale cheek.

Reaching out, Jenny clasped Abby's hand in hers and held it tightly.

"You're right Abbs," she said, nodding her head in agreement. "I am blessed. And with more than just Tony and Ziva."

Smiling a watery smile, Jenny brushed the lone tear away and stood abruptly.

"Well, I think I might need a glass of water after all that."

Stepping up into the van, Jenny paused. Turning slightly, she looked at Abby and smiled.

"Thanks Abby," she said softly before turning away and entering the van, effectively ending the conversation.


	5. Pushing Boundaries

**AN - Please see Chapter 1 for warnings as this chapter contains the spanking of a minor.**

 **Thanks again for all the new follows and favorites and, especially, thank you to those who have written a review. As I've said before, they keep me inspired to write.**

Chapter 5 - Pushing Boundaries

Despite the fact that it was mid winter in Australia, as Gibbs led Tim, Tony and Ziva down to the beach he observed that, this particular part of the country at least, was experiencing some uncharacteristically warm weather. By the time the four of them had walked beyond the main entrance and were now making their way towards the Great Ocean Road, over which they would need to cross to reach the ocean, Gibbs noticed that everyone had beads of sweat trickling down their face.

"Yay! The ocean!" cried Ziva excitedly, seeing the great expanse of blue before them.

She pulled away, distracted by the inviting water and ran towards the busy tourist road.

"Ziva!" yelled Gibbs.

Taking a quick couple of steps he caught up to the five year old and grabbed her hand in his.

"This is a very busy road Ziva," he admonished sternly, looking down at her. "You never cross a road without looking first."

"I was going to look," she argued indignantly. "You didn't give me a chance."

"From where I was standing, it didn't appear as if you were even going to stop at the road, let alone look both ways," replied Gibbs, doubting the five year old's argument.

"Well I was!" she announced crossly.

"Either way," continued Gibbs. "This road is far too busy for either one of you to cross without an adult."

He turned and pointed to the entrance gate.

"That entrance is as far as either of you is allowed to go on your own."

"Oh, come on Dad!" exclaimed Tony. "I'm not a baby. I do know how to cross a road."

"I know you do Tony," replied Gibbs, now giving his son his full attention as they crossed the road and headed towards the water. "But the entrance is as far as you go on your own. No arguments."

Rolling his eyes, Tony crossed his arms and stomped on ahead. Gibbs could see he was obviously not happy with the new rule but it was something he was going to have to put up with as Gibbs had no intentions of wavering it.

Running towards a small section of water which separated them from the beach ahead, Ziva threw off one shoe and dipped her toe into the salty stillness. Ripples of water spread out from her foot, disturbing the glass like sheet that had glinted in the sunlight.

"Daddy! It's like a warm bath!" she exclaimed, calling out to the others who were meandering their way down to her.

"It's been heated by the sun all day," explained Gibbs. "It looks like this is the end of a river that empties into the ocean."

"It's pretty shallow for a river," said Tony, amazed at how easily he could see the sand below the surface. "And it doesn't even reach the ocean."

"Well this is the end of the river," repeated Gibbs. "I guess if there was a lot of rain it might be deeper and you can see up ahead how there's a worn path to the ocean. Plus, the tide is out at the moment so there's a large expanse of beach."

"Can we paddle across it and go to the ocean?" asked Ziva, already divesting herself of her other shoe and pulling up her skirt to avoid getting it wet.

"Well I guess we are now," replied Gibbs watching as his youngest, who had fearlessly entered the water, was almost already half way across.

Sitting down on the grass that lined the edge of the river, Gibbs, Tony and Tim pulled off their shoes and socks and rolled up their pants ready to cross the shallow stream. Looking up to see where Ziva was, Gibbs placed his concentration back to crossing the water seeing that she was beyond the stream and was racing along the sand. He was confident she wouldn't venture into the ocean without checking with him first.

As he reached the other side, Gibbs turned to make sure Tim and, especially Tony, were making headway across the stream. Reaching out to grab Tony's hand and give him a gentle tug to help him along, he was startled when the boy, looking up towards the ocean, yelled, "Oh My God! Dad! Look at Ziva!"

Twisting his head so quickly he was sure he had given himself whiplash, Gibbs turned and squinted into the dazzling sunlight. He found himself blinking a couple of times to make sure he was actually seeing what he thought he was seeing.

Running wildly towards the ocean, skipping and twirling in the sunlight, was the small figure of Ziva, completely and glaringly naked as the day she was born.

Letting go of Tony, Gibbs called out to Ziva but she couldn't, or chose not to, hear him. Running past the discarded pile of clothes, Gibbs snatched them up and began a quick jog towards the little nymph who was almost at the water's edge.

"Ziva Gibbs!" he roared, now only yards away from her.

That time she heard him. Spinning around at the sound of his voice, she stopped suddenly and stared at him, confused by the harshness of his tone.

"What's wrong Daddy?" she asked innocently.

"What's wrong?" he repeated incredulously. "What on earth do you think you are doing?"

"Going swimming," she replied as if the question barely needed an answer.

"I don't think so, young lady," growled Gibbs. "Get back here now!"

"Why?" she called back, no intention of moving closer.

"Because, Ziva, you can't just strip off your clothes and run into the water."

"But why not?" she questioned again. "If I keep my clothes on they'll get all wet."

"Ziva, come here now," ordered Gibbs. "I'm not having this conversation across the distance of ten yards."

"But I want to go swimming," she whined, jiggling slightly to show her impatience.

"NOW!" barked Gibbs.

Seeing that he was in no mood for further arguments, Ziva slumped her shoulders and stomped her way towards him. When she was within a distance of less than a yard, she stopped and crossed her arms.

"Why can't I go swimming?" she asked accusatorily.

"I have no problem with you going swimming," replied Gibbs. "But you can't just strip off and run naked along the beach."

"Why not?" she asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Because honey, this is a public area," explained Gibbs, softening his voice now that they were within a few inches of each other. "You need to at least have some underwear on."

He held out her panties expecting her to take them.

"But I don't want to wear them," she whined. "They'll get wet and feel yucky when I get dressed again."

"Then take them off when you come out. Just wear your skirt without any underwear," suggested Gibbs.

"Daddy!" squealed Ziva, blushing at his words. "I can't wear a skirt without panties."

Gibbs stared at her incredulously.

"You get embarrassed about wearing a skirt without panties and yet you run completely naked out here on the beach?" he asked slowly, trying to fathom her logic.

"But, there's nobody around here," she replied as if that was a perfectly obvious conclusion to draw.

"Who's to say somebody won't just appear from over there," counter argued Gibbs pointing towards the left.

"Well, if you'd just let me go, I'd be in the water by then and they wouldn't know," she said, placing her hands on her hips and talking to him as if trying to reason with someone of limited intelligence.

Shaking his head in exasperation, Gibbs decided enough was enough.

"I'm sorry Ziva, but you cannot go running around a public area with no clothes on. Either put these on and go in the water or get dressed and stay on the sand."

Once again, Gibbs held out the panties fully expecting her to take them, albeit begrudgingly. What he didn't expect was to see her eyes narrow and her lips harden into a defiant pout.

"I don't want to," she mumbled softly, her eyes still in contact with his.

"Excuse me?" asked Gibbs, not sure if he'd heard correctly.

"I said," she repeated, a little more confidently as she straightened her back, "I don't want to."

She locked her eyes with his and, despite the fact she was openly defying him, Gibbs felt a touch of pride at the way she held her gaze and dared to strengthen her stance. However, this was not the time to back down. Gibbs knew this was one battle he needed to win to ensure her future obedience.

"Ziva," he warned dangerously. "I will only say it one more time. You have two choices here. You either put these on and go swimming or you get dressed and play on the sand. But be warned, if you say no to me one more time, I will spank you and make the decision for you. And, you can bet your bottom dollar, going swimming will no longer be an option."

As Gibbs waited for her answer, he could almost see her mind ticking over. He knew she didn't want to back down but the thought of being spanked in her current state of undress was definitely playing on her mind. Convinced, this time, she would snatch the offending underwear out of his hand, he couldn't believe it when she looked him straight in the eye, placed her hands on her hips and yelled a very clear and resounding 'no!' before turning tail and taking off towards the water.

Rooted to spot in shock, he even failed to hear Tony's gasp of "Ziva, are you outta your mind!" before he finally came to his senses and gave chase after the tiny hellion that had dared to defy him.

Easily catching up to her, he didn't give her any time to struggle as he deftly tucked her under his arm and applied three stinging smacks to her upturned bottom. The sound echoed in the openness of their surrounds and Gibbs hoped they were still alone on this very public piece of shore front. Sneaking a quick glance around him, he was relieved to see the vast expanse of sand isolated except for himself, Tony and Tim, not to mention the squealing and writhing mass of arms and legs he was now carrying back up the sand.

Dumping her unceremoniously on her feet, he glared down at her.

"You have to the count of three to start getting dressed, young lady or I will spank you for every second past three you choose to ignore me."

His threat was real and she knew it.

As Gibbs began counting, Ziva's pride dared him to get past two before she picked up the hated pair of panties and angrily put them on. Relieved that she had chose to see sense, Gibbs stopped counting and waited for her to redress.

Still sniveling and occasionally reaching back to rub the sting from her backside, Ziva slipped her foot into the last remaining sandal and stood rigidly before him, her arms crossed and a look on her face that would have seen Gibbs fall to his death if she'd had the power.

"I want to go back to Mommy," she growled defiantly, not looking him in the eye.

"We will go back when the rest of us are ready," answered Gibbs firmly. "You chose to bring this trouble on yourself. Now, you can just put up with a sore bottom and having to wander around with us until we are ready to go back."

He could see in her eyes she desperately wanted to argue but, thankfully, she had some sense of self preservation and, instead, chose to sit mutinously while Tim and Tony climbed the nearby rocks and searched among the small rock pools for any signs of tiny sea life.

As he sat watching the boys pick their way over the rocks, he mused over recent events. With the way Tony had been behaving lately, had he been a betting man, he would have staked his life on Tony being the first to feel his hand across his backside. Tony had been hell bent on pushing every boundary he and Jenny had put in place and his constant back chat and smart ass retorts had definitely increased Gibbs' blood pressure to almost boiling point. And yet, in a way which still left the marine stunned, it was Ziva who had eventually succeeding in a physical reaction from him.

Sneaking a quick look at her and seeing her sat cross-legged with her arms folded so tightly over her chest it was a wonder she could breathe, he didn't miss the intensity of the scowl which furrowed her whole face. Returning his gaze to the boys once again, Gibbs wondered, not for the first time, exactly how much of his children's defiant behavior was just further fallout from the recent shooting. Both had lost their biological fathers in a confronting and violent manner, both had had their lives threatened by these very men who were supposed to love and protect them. Was it any wonder they were acting out? And yet, he didn't feel any regret in his decision to spank Ziva, just as he was confident, had it been Tony, the boy would have suffered the same consequence. He knew, with little doubt, both children needed the security of knowing that neither he nor Jenny were willing to put up with open defiance and yet, he was also aware, a little leeway was sometimes called for.

Smirking inwardly at his daughter's recent surge of rebellion, he still felt a tingle of pride in the way she had confidently stood her ground and face him fearlessly. Some, including Tony he was sure, would call it stupidity, but Gibbs knew, that strength of willfulness would serve her well in adulthood. He never wanted to break the spirit of either of his children. However, it was a constant challenge keeping the behavior balanced between steering their willfulness into a positive trait while not condoning outright defiance.

Watching as Tony bent to show Tim something moving in a small rock pool, Gibbs concluded, at this particular stage of childhood at least, Tony was definitely the more difficult of the two. Ziva was clearly more stubborn and open in her defiance but she was easily reigned in with a firm reprimand or an even firmer hand. Tony, however, kept so much of himself bottled up and hidden. "Just like his father," Jenny often said. While Gibbs generally denied the comparison to her face, he knew she was right. Tony was very much like himself and, just like he had been at Tony's age, demanding obedience through reprimand or physical punishment was not always the best course of action. At this point in time, Tony was not only trying to come to terms with the recent loss of his biological father and the memories of what Senior had put him through, he was also maturing into a teenager. Hormones were racing through his prepubescent body causing him to react to things he would normally have ignored. The normally easygoing, fun-loving little boy was quickly becoming a sullen, defiant pre-teen and Gibbs wasn't sure he was ready for that. It was probably the reason he had been a little more lenient on Tony recently, letting smart remarks pass where previously he would have pulled the boy in line. Had he not just said to Jenny the other day they couldn't allow recent events to sway their parenting of either child?

Letting his hand run through his hair, Gibbs closed his eyes and tried to shut out the world for a few seconds. And yet, despite his desire to pretend nothing had changed, he had to face the fact that both his children were reeling from the events of last week. God, last week? Had it only been a week since they had left the horrors of that day behind and ventured forward into a vacation from which the aim was to help them all recover and heal? Gibbs did a quick calculation in his head and concluded that, yes, it was only 10 days ago he had watched as Tim fired the bullet into the skull of the man who was hell bent on killing his little girl. He shook his head trying to comprehend the reality of the situation. No wonder both children were acting out. Hell, he'd barely had time to process what had happened himself let alone expecting a five and eleven year old to do so. Yes, he mused, there would definitely be difficult times ahead and it was up to him and Jenny to ensure the transition into acceptance was as smooth and as uncomplicated as possible. And if that meant stepping up and applying discipline, despite knowing the reasons behind the defiance, he would man up and do so. He wasn't doing Tony, in particular, any favors by letting the young man get away with his recent sass and belligerence.

Gazing again at the young boy who was now making his way back towards himself and Ziva, Gibbs knew it wouldn't be long before Tony pushed the boundaries to breaking point. It was only a matter of time. Like a ticking bomb with an unknown timer, Gibbs could only stand by and wait until the headstrong boy decided to test his parent's resolve and push his toe over the line into open defiance.

Gibbs looked up as he felt the glare of the sun disappear behind the bodies of Tony and Tim as they stood before him creating a much welcomed shadow over himself and Ziva.

"You both ready to head back?" he asked cheerfully, smiling at the rosy cheeks that ordained his boys' faces.

"Yep," replied Tony, answering for the both of them.

Standing up, Gibbs was relieved when Ziva followed suit and the four of them made their way up the narrow path that led to the main road. They didn't need to cross the river this time as they had managed to walk around it noticing that, once they were back on the road, they would cross a bridge that straddled the shallow running river below.

As they passed through the entrance of the caravan park, Gibbs was surprised when Ziva didn't automatically race on ahead, eager to return to the van. He wondered if she wasn't sure whether she was allowed. Knowing she would normally have just asked, he realized just how angry she still was that she would choose to suffer along silently rather than swallow her pride and speak to him. Smirking to himself at her stubbornness, Gibbs didn't allow the hostile vibes emanating from his youngest to affect him.

Once the van was in sight however, Gibbs smiled as Ziva quickened her pace until she was finally running full speed towards the safety and comfort of her Mother's arms.

By the time he, Tony and Tim had reached the sanctity of the caravan, Gibbs wasn't surprised to see Ziva sobbing in Jenny's lap as the two of them sat in the annex. Passing her on his way into the van, Gibbs noticed Jenny look up at him questioningly but he chose to simply raise his eyebrows in response, figuring he would tell her everything once Ziva had received some much needed comfort.

After a few minutes of back rubbing and hair stroking, Jenny looked down into her daughter's face.

"Are you ready to tell me what happened?" she asked softly.

"I don't like Daddy anymore," was all Ziva chose to say.

"Yeah, I kind of gathered that," continued Jenny. "But I'd like to know why?"

"Cause he wouldn't let me swim in the ocean and he spanked me real hard," she sobbed, making it very obvious she had been wronged in the most grievous way.

"Ziva," said Jenny gently, "Daddy wouldn't spank you for no reason."

"No, he wouldn't," interjected Gibbs, stepping down from the van into the annex, a cup of coffee in each hand. Setting one down next to Jenny, he took the chair opposite them and sat, sipping on his coffee while continuing to stare at his daughter.

"Tell Mommy what you were doing," he finally said, once it was obvious Ziva wasn't about to enlighten Jenny with the whole story.

She rounded on him then, her eyes flashing with anger as she twisted on Jenny's lap so she could face her father.

"I just wanted to swim in the ocean!" she yelled.

Scrambling off Jenny's lap, she ran into van and slammed the door.

Sighing deeply, Gibbs rolled his eyes and muttered, "God, imagine what she'll be like at fifteen!" before taking another gulp of coffee.

Rising from her chair, Jenny extracted the mug from Gibbs' hand and led him out of the annex and away from any listening ears inside the van.

Passing Abby and Tim who were sitting near the entrance of the annex, both engrossed in whatever book they had brought with them, Jenny said, "Can you two watch Tony and Ziva for a bit? Gibbs and I need to talk in private."

"Sure," replied Abby smiling at them, while Tim merely grunted in response, his nose buried firmly in his novel.

As they wandered down the main road towards the entrance, Gibbs had a distinct feeling of déjà vu. However, instead of exiting the caravan park, Jenny steered them towards a park bench that overlooked a large sporting oval. As they both sat down, she brought her knees up to her chest and hugged them tightly before saying, "So, what happened?"

Listening while Gibbs retold the events with the accuracy befitting a seasoned federal agent, Jenny couldn't help but interject when he reached the part where he'd insisted Ziva at least put on her underwear if she intended to go swimming.

"She's only five, Jethro," reasoned Jenny, "What's wrong with her swimming naked in the ocean?"

Gibbs held her with a look that clearly questioned her sanity.

"What's wrong with it, Jen? Are you serious?" he exclaimed. "It's a public area. I would have thought with the horrors you and I have seen over the years, you would at least be familiar with the sickos that exist in this world. The last thing I want is my five year old daughter's naked body plastered all over the internet."

Closing her eyes in regret, Jenny couldn't believe she had completely forgotten that side of life, seeing only the childish innocence of her daughter at play.

"You're right, Jethro," she conceded. "I didn't even think of that. Thank God you were on the ball."

"Yeah, well, unfortunately Ziva didn't share your gratitude," he continued. "When I asked her to at least put on her underwear she refused, so I gave her a choice; panties on and go swimming or get completely dressed and play on the sand."

"I'm guessing she didn't like either option," said Jenny, her mind seeing clearly the stubbornness of their daughter.

"You'd be guessing right," replied Gibbs grimly. "I gave her the options once again, warning her that if she refused to do either one I would spank her."

"And?" asked Jenny, although she had a fair idea what had been Ziva's response.

"Do you know what she did?" asked Gibbs, still floored by Ziva's actions, despite the little spark of pride he felt at her daring.

When Jenny looked up at him questioningly, he continued.

"She looked me square in the eye, hands on hips and told me 'no' before high-tailing it towards the water. That's when I spanked her."

To his surprise, when he'd finished speaking, he could see Jenny was laughing.

"It wasn't funny, Jen," he said, irked by her smothered giggling.

"Oh Jethro," she said regaining some sense of self control. "I'm sorry but I'm just thinking how grown men and women quake at your boots and wouldn't dare to disobey a direct order and yet, here stands a three foot nothing firebrand who not only openly defies you but cements the assault by running off!"

Even Gibbs found himself laughing at that.

"I know," he said eventually. "There was even a part of me that was quite proud of her audacity."

Sobering quickly, Gibbs added, "But I couldn't let her get away with that kind of behavior. She needs to know that deliberate defiance is unacceptable."

As Jenny nodded in agreement, a sudden jolt of memory flew into Gibbs' mind.

"Actually, you're wrong Jen," he said, watching as her brow furrowed in confusion. "There was an incident once where a grown adult refused to follow my direct order."

"When?" she asked, having no clue as to what he was referring to.

"The McKinley case, 1998," he reminded her. "I remember a certain young Probie standing toe to toe with me and refusing point blank to obey the order she'd been given."

Jenny suddenly blushed, remembering the incident well.

"Oh that's hardly fair," she replied indignantly. "You and Burley were taking advantage of having a Probie on the team. There was no way in hell I was going to step into that sewage pit to search for some non existence piece of evidence the pair of you had cooked up for the sheer pleasure of seeing me step, waist deep, in shit. And besides," she added, her hand instinctively reaching to the back of her head, "I reckon I had a concussion that lasted about two days following the head slap you administered."

"Well, what did you expect?" defended Gibbs. "Big or small, no one defies me and leaves without some retribution. And...," added Gibbs, his blue eyes smouldering, "You were very lucky Stan was there otherwise you may well have been treated in the same way Ziva was today."

If it were possible, Jenny's face glowed an even deeper shade of red. However, not wanting to let him see how much his threat had affected her, she replied flippantly, "Well, damn Burley then! That could've been fun!"

"Oh trust me, Jen," warned Gibbs, his voice dangerously soft, "You would not have enjoyed it!"

Unsure of how to respond, Jenny simply crossed her arms over her chest and huffed loudly while her inflamed cheeks betrayed her act of nonchalance.

Gibbs merely smirked smugly to himself, relishing in her obvious discomfort before standing up and pulling her with him.

"Come on," he said briskly, "Let's head back and see if Little Miss Trouble has decided to forgive me."

Taking her hand gently in his, Gibbs lead them down the gravel road towards their van.

"Did you get some sleep this afternoon?" he asked, changing the subject to lighten the mood.

"Yeah a little," she replied quietly. Giving a small snort of laughter, she added, "Abby thought she needed to buy me a pregnancy test."

He stopped and looked down at her, concerned as to how Abby's words might have affected her.

"What did you say?" he asked gently.

Jenny shrugged and smiled weakly before looking into his eyes.

"I told her," she said simply. "I told her everything, about the rape, the pregnancy, the hysterectomy."

"You OK with that?"

His words were kind and laden with a sad understanding.

"Yeah," she eventually replied. "I figured it was best she knew. I didn't want her jumping to conclusions every time I felt a little off color."

Lifting the hand he was still holding, Gibbs laid a gentle kiss on the small knuckles.

"I'm sorry Hun," he said softly. "I know it hurts."

Burrowing her head in his chest, she wrapped her arms around his waist feeling the warmth of his own hands as they rested on the small of her back. She felt nothing but security and comfort while being held in his arms.

"You OK?" he asked gently, resting his chin on the top of her head.

She nodded into chest before looking up into his eyes.

"Yeah," she said, her voice cracking slightly with emotion. "I'm fine. Abby helped remind me of the blessings I have in Tony and Ziva." She paused for a second before adding, "The blessings I have with all of you."

She gave him a tight squeeze, hoping the action would convey how much she loved, admired and adored this wonderful man.

"I know they can be challenging at times, but I love them and wouldn't have it any other way," she said, grinning slightly.

"Me neither," agreed Gibbs, bending down and kissing her gently on the forehead.

"Come on," he said again, taking her hand.

The two of them continued the short journey back to the van to where they were sure they would be facing a few new challenges before the evening was over.


	6. Discussions and Decisions

Chapter 6 - Discussions and Decisions

As the sun slowly slipped further towards the horizon, Gibbs and Jenny made their way back to the van. Rounding the large building which comprised the public amenities for the campers, they were suddenly aware of a loud ruckus somewhere nearby. Yelling and squealing penetrated the late afternoon air.

"Someone's having a bad day," remarked Jenny when a particularly loud and frustrated scream rose above all the other shouts.

"Jethro?"

Suddenly finding herself alone, Jenny stared as Gibbs broke into a run towards their van.

"Jethro!" she called again, a hint of fear edging her voice.

"That was Abby!" he called back.

Running to catch up with him, they entered the annex within seconds of each other. Gibbs, having reached the van first, flung open the door and was faced with what could only be described as complete chaos. Not knowing where to look first, he stood stock still and relied on both his marine and agent training to survey the scene as a whole.

Front and center, in the middle of the table, stood Ziva. Her body gesturing wildly as she dodged out of reach of Tim who, to his credit, was refusing to be intimidated by the pint sized tornado. However, instead of taking charge of the situation as any adult should, Gibbs watched as the young man fought both verbally and physically with the five year old, arguing with her while trying, and failing miserably, to pull her off the table. Behind them, behaving just as foolishly, were Abby and Tony. Abby, standing on the floor of the van, was reaching up to grab Bert the Hippo from Tony's outstretched hand, the latter having perched himself on the bench seat that surrounded the table. Her frustrated yells of protest were only slightly louder than the incessant farting noises emanating from the stuffed toy.

As Jenny, panting from the sudden burst of energy, bounded up the stairs of the van to stand behind Gibbs, she barely had chance to take in the chaotic scene before a piercing whistle screamed through the air rendering the occupants temporarily frozen while a ringing silence echoed in the wake of their stillness.

"What the hell is going on!" yelled Gibbs angrily.

As four pairs of eyes flashed to face him, he momentarily forgot where he was and began yelling in earnest.

"Do you have any idea of how much your voices are carrying in this place?" he continued without thought of what his own voice might sound like to any interested bystanders.

"I thought someone was being murdered in here!"

As the eyes staring at him didn't waver, he pin pointed each pair with a angry glare.

"Ziva get off the table right now!" he ordered.

"But Tim-," she began.

Her protest was suddenly cut short as Gibbs took a menacing step towards her. Backing up, Ziva's eyes never left his as she deftly made her way to the floor before standing beside an equally stunned Tim who seemed to be having difficulty in closing his mouth.

Just as he was about to address the two in the background, Gibbs' eyes caught sight of Abby as she made a quick attempt to retrieve her favorite stuffed animal from Tony who was temporarily distracted. The latter, not fooled for a minute, moved quickly to force his arm higher in the air causing his body to overbalance. As if lined up like a row of dominoes, Gibbs and Jenny watched in horror as Tony toppled on top of Abby who, in turn, knocked into Tim sending him headlong into Ziva. It was only thanks to Gibbs' incredibly quick reflexes, he was able to reach out and snatch Ziva out of harm's way saving the little girl from being seriously injured under the weight of her older siblings.

In the wake of the bedlam that followed, it was a full sixty seconds before the three of them, thankfully not hurt, were standing upright and facing the man whose face was rigid in fury. Standing Ziva with her fellow cohorts, Gibbs stood to his full height, ready to let loose with the tirade that was threatening to burst forth. It was only the sudden touch of Jenny's hand on his shoulder that made him hesitate, allowing him the microsecond needed to regain some self control.

Breathing deeply, Gibbs closed his eyes and mentally counted to five before he addressed the four who faced him with a mixture of fear and trepidation.

But when Gibbs eventually spoke, there was an unnerving calmness that edged his voice.

"I want the four of you to go down to our room, sit yourselves on the edge of the bed and wait for us to join you. Do NOT make a sound. This space is far too cramped to conduct an interrogation."

His deliberate use of the word interrogation had the desired effect on the older two. Visibly blanching at the sound of the word, Abby and Tim quickly led their younger siblings in a walk of doom to their parent's bedroom.

When the area was finally cleared, Gibbs placed his hands on the table in front of him and let out a long suffering groan.

He wasn't surprised when Jenny sat down and looked accusingly into his eyes.

"Interrogation!" she whispered incredulously. "Did you honestly just use the word interrogation in reference to your own children?"

"Yep!" he whispered just a forcibly back at her.

"Jethro," she began quietly, but he quickly cut her off.

"No, Jen," he replied, speaking under his breath to avoid being overheard in the other room. "You saw the chaos that greeted us when we entered this van not five minutes ago. There's no way I'm letting that go without some kind of explanation."

"Explanation, yes," retorted Jenny, "but _interrogation_? Did you see the looks on Tim's and Abby's faces when you used that word?"

"Sure did," replied Gibbs, not in the least bit ashamed by his choice of wording. "I did it deliberately. Those two are the only ones who will understand the true meaning of that word and I wanted to put the wind up them. Their behavior, from what I just witness, was just as childish, if not more so, that the other two. They demand to be treated as adults and yet, instead of taking control like they should have done, the pair of them engaged in the same ridiculous behavior as Tony and Ziva! It's not on!"

Conceding Gibbs was right in his candid description of the scene that had greeted them as they entered the van, Jenny nodded in assent before whispering a single word of consolidation.

"Agree," she said quietly.

"Thank you," replied Gibbs.

Taking a deep breath, he stood to his full height before adding, "You ready to tackle these four together?"

"Sure," she said confidently, joining him in a stance of unified solidarity.

Stepping aside, Gibbs held out his hand before whispering gently, "After you."

As Jenny passed him and led the way to the back bedroom, Gibbs rubbed at his throbbing temples. He knew things were coming to a head with his felonious four, but he hadn't reckoned on it being quite so soon after a trying day of travel, tantrums and a feisty five year old.

Entering the back bedroom, Jenny and Gibbs were greeted by four solemn faces. As Gibbs surveyed the scene, he took in each of his four children. Abby, sitting on the far left of the bed stared ahead without focus, her green eyes expressing an uncertainty he rarely saw. Next to her sat Tim. If it wasn't for the fact that Gibbs was furious with the young man's recent lack of self control in dealing with Ziva, he would have laughed at the face that was currently giving a very good imitation of a goldfish. The bulging eyes and open mouth indicated just how worried his eldest son was with regards to the trouble in which he now found himself. Next in line was Ziva. Even she had the common sense to look reasonably repentant and she sat with her hands in her lap and her brown eyes soulfully fixed on his. He wondered if their earlier confrontation had encouraged this unusual show of contrition. Last in line sat Tony. Gibbs was surprised to see the boy displayed an air of arrogance that didn't befit the general atmosphere of regret emanating from the other three. Wondering if the boy truly understood the trouble the four of them were in, Gibbs sincerely hoped he wasn't about to be confronted with open hostility from his youngest son. It would not bode well for the eleven year old, thought Gibbs ruefully, as he was in no mood to put up with any attitude right now.

"Right then," began Gibbs firmly.

Pointing to Tim he added, "You first. Explain!"

Struck with a 'deer in the headlights' look, Tim's initial response was to begin with his usual array of various 'ums' and 'ers' before Gibbs narrowed him with a glare that shocked the boy into coherent speech.

"Tony and Ziva were fighting over that little toy thing of Ziva's," began Tim.

"It's a koala," interrupted Ziva.

As Gibbs' glare rounded on the five year old, Ziva merely took a deep breath before adding, "Well it is."

"Ziva," warned Jenny, seeing Gibbs was ready to explode. "You'd be wise to keep quiet until Tim has finished speaking."

As Ziva opened her mouth to argue, Jenny equaled Gibbs' glare before snapping, "Now!"

Ziva's mouth snapped shut. Realizing his youngest sister had decided to obey, Tim continued.

"Well, Abby and I were outside when we heard them shouting so we raced inside to see what was happening. Ziva was standing on the table holding her koala toy out of reach while Tony was just about to climb on the seat to try and take it. Abby was ahead of me so she went over to Tony and pulled him off the seat while I tried to get Ziva to come down."

He looked at Gibbs who seemed to be waiting for more.

"Um, that's kind of all I saw. I got distracted with Ziva so I don't really know what went on with Tony and Abby," replied Tim in response to Gibbs' questioning glare.

Gibbs continued to stare for a few seconds longer, enough to make Tim squirm uncomfortably in his seat before leveling his gaze at Abby and barking, "Continue!"

The young woman's eyes darted left to right accompanied by a sharp intake of breath.

"I… er…. I got Tony off the seat and told him to go to his room. He started arguing with me so I grabbed his arm and pushed him into the bedroom. I was then going to help Tim who was trying to reason with Ziva when Tony came out of the room and had Bert in his hands. I went to grab Bert but Tony managed to get onto the seat and was running along the seat behind the table and I couldn't reach him.

"He also pushed me!" interjected Ziva.

Storing that tit-bit of information away for later, Gibbs ignored Ziva before saying to Abby, "That all?"

"Um, yes Sir?" replied Abby tentatively.

Having so far ascertained that Tony seemed to have instigated the whole incident, Gibbs decided to listen to Ziva next.

"And what do you have to add?" he asked her sharply.

Tilting her head to one side, she placed her hands in her lap before beginning with a long drawn out, "Well…."

"Keep it brief," snapped Gibbs, not in the mood for the extended version.

Frowning in indignation but not wanting to miss the spotlight, Ziva began rapidly, "Tony took my koala off my bed and said he was going to feed it to Fang. I got it back and he chased me so I climbed on the table to get away. Then Tony started running on the seat and he pushed me in the back and I nearly fell off the table. I tried to get Tony back but he dodged out of the way and then Timmy was yelling at me to come down and then you and Mommy came in and that's all I know," she concluded with an air of finality.

"Hmmm," murmured Gibbs, crossing his arms over his chest. Then, starting with Abby, gave each miscreant a meaningful glare before settling his gaze on Tony.

And what's your take on what happened?" he asked the young boy before him.

Tony shrugged indifferently before saying, "Pretty much what they said."

Annoyed by the boy's cool attitude, Gibbs felt his temper rising.

"So far Tony, this little caper doesn't put you in a very good light," he began soberly. "From what I can gather, you seem to have started the whole thing by taking something that wasn't yours to take and teasing Ziva. When that didn't work, you then took something else that didn't belong to you in order to aggravate Abby for sending you to your room."

Gibbs took a breath before adding. "Does that sound fairly accurate to you?"

Not looking his father in the eye, Tony mumbled, 'Yeah, I guess."

"Why?" asked Gibbs.

Tony frowned slightly.

"Why what?" he asked.

"Why," began Gibbs between gritted teeth, "Did you decide it would be a good idea to start annoying people?"

For the second time in as many minutes, Tony shrugged indifferently.

"Dunno," he replied airily. "Something to do."

If possible, Gibbs' steely glare bore deeper into Tony. He bent down so that their eyes were only inches apart.

"You are this close," seethed Gibbs, using his fingers to indicate an inch width apart, "from getting your backside blistered. Can the attitude right now!"

As Gibbs stood up, he watched in astonishment as Tony huffed quietly under his breath and rolled his eyes. It was the eye roll that was the last straw for Gibbs. Stepping forward he grabbed the boy's left arm, lifting him easily off the bed. Twisting Tony to the side, Gibbs let loose with a flurry of six heavy swats to the presented backside. The echoing crack that accompanied each smack had the other three flinching in rhythmic unison. When the sixth swat had been administered, Gibbs returned the boy to his previous position.

Although Tony remained seated, Gibbs noticed the air of nonchalance has disappeared and tears were now forming in the far more repentant green eyes.

Giving Tony time to process what had just taken place, Gibbs turned his attention to Ziva.

"And what gives you the right to stand on the table young lady?" he growled at her.

Fearing the same treatment Tony had just received, Ziva answered quickly and without any attitude or disrespect.

"I…I was trying to get away from Tony."

"And when Tim asked you to get down?" inquired Gibbs sternly.

"Well," she paused slightly before continuing, "Well, then I was keeping away from Tim."

She turned and glared at her oldest brother before adding accusingly, "He was trying to take my koala!"

"I was not!" interjected Tim, sounding just like the five year old.

Gibbs took a step forward and landed a hard smack to the back of Tim's head.

"How old are you?" he asked Tim pointedly.

Thinking the question was rhetorical, Tim turned his face forward and closed his mouth.

"I said, how old are you?" repeated Gibbs dangerously.

"Er… twenty-eight," mumbled Tim.

"Nearly twenty nine," added Gibbs.

"Um..yeah?" replied Tim frowning slightly, not sure where Gibbs was going with this line of questioning.

"Old enough to know that when challenged by a five year old you don't stoop to her level and embark in a pi - arguing contest," yelled Gibbs, quickly amending his speech for the sake of the younger two. He knew Tim had understood his meaning however by the younger man's repentant demeanor.

"The same goes for you," he said, rounding his gaze on Abby. "I don't expect to hear your voice echoing through the park while engaging in a tug-o-war with an eleven year old."

Gibbs watched as Abby slowly nodded her head in agreement.

"Sorry Gibbs," she said softly.

Taking another deep breath, Gibbs relaxed his shoulders slightly before facing the elder two.

"Right," he began in a much calmer voice than before. "Seeing as the pair of you prefers to act like children, you'll be treated as such. No electronic devices for the evening and you can both be in bed by 9.00pm."

As Abby's eyes widened in astonishment and her mouth began to open in protest, Gibbs cut her off with a sharp, "I wouldn't if I were you!"

Instantly closing her mouth, Abby chose to show her displeasure by scowling instead.

"Right, you two are dismissed," said Gibbs, looking at Abby and Tim then nodding his head towards the door.

Standing abruptly, the two adults were quick to vacate the room, leaving the younger two still facing an irate father.

"As for you two," began Gibbs, once Abby and Tim had left, "I do not expect to walk into this van and see the pair of you standing on the furniture.

"But-" began Ziva.

"No excuses!" barked Gibbs.

Ziva immediately closed her mouth.

Gibbs took a steadying breath before continuing.

"Ziva," he called calmly.

The little girl's eyes flew up to his own as she awaited her sentencing.

"I know that Tony was annoying you and I know that you were only trying to defend yourself once he started chasing you."

He watched as Ziva's shoulders relaxed slightly.

"However," he barked, the single word causing the shoulders to tense once again. "Once Tim and Abby had entered the van, you should have stopped with your behavior and allowed Tim or Abby to take charge. And, under no circumstances, do you climb onto the table. Are we clear young lady?"

"Yes Daddy," the little girl squeaked.

"Once you have eaten dinner you are to go straight to bed. No arguments or excuses. If I hear one word of complaint from you, your bottom and my hand will go a second round today. Understood?"

"Yes Daddy," she said again, nodding her head in understanding.

'Good," replied Gibbs. "Now go back into the kitchen area and find something quiet to do."

Without a backwards glance, Ziva scarpered from the room, relieved she had managed to escape without a second spanking for the day.

With the room now emptied of three people, Gibbs and Jenny were left staring at the young boy who sat forlornly on the bed.

Taking a seat next to Tony, Jenny lifted his chin so they were eye to eye before saying, "What have you got to say for yourself young man."

Gibbs was relieved to see the indifferent shrugging and eye rolling seemed to have dissipated for the time being.

"I'm sorry," mumbled Tony contritely.

"What are you sorry for?' asked Gibbs.

"For taking stuff that doesn't belong to me and teasing the girls," he replied quietly. "Oh, and for standing and running on the seat," he added quickly suddenly remembering the second misdemeanor.

Gibbs nodded before crouching down to his son's level.

"Why did I spank you before?" he asked gently.

"Because I was being disrespectful," replied Tony.

"Right," agreed Gibbs. "I have spoken to you twice today concerning your attitude, this was the third time. It's not on Tony."

Looking down, Tony remained quiet.

"So," continued Gibbs, 'Other than needing 'something to do' is there any other reason for your behavior tonight?"

Tony was about to shrug but thought better of it, answering instead with a sorrowful, "No."

Gibbs sighed again before standing up to deliver sentencing. "I'm sorry Tony, but as the instigator of this evening's little charade, you will be going straight to bed. I'll bring you in some dinner when it's ready but there will be no TV and no electronics."

"But I haven't had my hour on the DS yet?" complained Tony, suddenly remembering it was still owing to him.

"Sorry Tony, but you should have thought about that before you decided to take things that don't belong to you," replied Jenny before Gibbs could lose his temper again.

"That sucks," mumbled Tony.

"I beg your pardon?" said Gibbs, astounded at Tony's daring.

When Tony didn't reply Gibbs crouched again to maintain eye level with the young boy.

"That's the kind of attitude and disrespect I'm talking about young man," growled Gibbs. "Do I need to take you over my knee for a proper spanking?"

"No," replied Tony quickly.

"Then quit with the attitude," barked Gibbs. "This is your final warning Tony. Is that clear?"

"Yes Sir."

The tone, while repentant, still held an edge of rebellion. It took a few seconds of hardened glaring before Tony dropped his eyes and stared into his lap.

Finally, Gibbs stood and speaking quietly, said, "Go and put your pyjamas on and get into bed. You can spend the time before dinner thinking about your attitude and how it might be in your best interests to improve it. I'll bring in dinner when it's ready."

As Tony stood to leave, Gibbs stepped aside to allow him space to pass. Both he and Jenny watched as the young boy shuffled out the room and turned immediately into his own shared bedroom. Listening to the rustling sounds, they concluded Tony was changing ready for bed.

Looking at Jenny, Gibbs sighed.

"I'll be glad when this day is over," he said wearily.

"I think everyone will benefit from an early night to be honest," replied Jenny. "You and I included."

"Yeah," agreed Gibbs.

Then, lowering his voice he said quietly, "I'm worried about Tony. This isn't like him and it's more than just teenage attitude. Has he said anything to you regarding Senior?"

"No," replied Jenny. "I asked him this morning how he was feeling about everything and he just shrugged it off and said he was fine."

She looked up at Gibbs before standing and placing her arms around his waist and nestling her head into his chest.

"I'm worried about him too," she said quietly. "I'm scared that he's bottling up his emotions and not dealing with things. My fear is, one day soon, things are going to come to a head and he may not be able to handle it."

"That's when we need to be here for him," added Gibbs, resting his chin on the top of Jenny's head.

They stood in silence, each to their thoughts before Gibbs spoke again.

"How are you feeling now?" he asked, cupping Jenny's face between his hands.

Looking up into the blue eyes, Jenny gave a brief smile.

"I'm OK," she said with a sigh.

"Liar," reprimanded Gibbs gently.

He had returned the smile but Jenny could easily see the concern that etched his face.

"I have a headache still, but the nauseousness has gone, thank goodness."

She smiled again.

"I am feeling better," she assured him. "I promise. A good night's sleep and I'll be right as rain. I'm sure it's just the worry and stress from the last week or so."

"Hmmm," murmured Gibbs, not entirely convinced.

Jenny raised her eyebrows and look at him pointedly.

"What? You don't believe me?" she asked, a little annoyed that he doubted her.

"Well," he began carefully, "I'm just not convinced you're feeling as well as you're making out. You're still looking quite pale."

"I'm a redhead Jethro," she retorted sarcastically. "We have pale skin."

"That's not what I mean and you know it," replied Gibbs, raising an eyebrow in a show of unimpressed resignation.

Sighing heavily, Jenny pulled out of his arms.

"I know," she conceded quietly. "But I am feeling better."

She paused before looking directly into his eyes.

"I promise!" she added pointedly.

Still not convinced, Gibbs nodded none the less.

"I'll go and put some steaks on the grill for dinner," he began, taking a step towards the door.

"Hang on," called Jenny, immediately getting his attention. When he turned back to face her, Jenny took a seat on the bed before saying, "Can we talk about what just happened?"

"Huh?"

Unsure of what she meant, Gibbs stared at her quizzically before taking his seat next to her on the bed.

Jenny took a deep breath.

"I understand that what was going on in the van when we walked in earlier was not acceptable," she began. "However, I don't think Abby and Tim really deserved the way in which you just spoke to them."

Feeling Gibbs suddenly tense next to her, Jenny laid a hand on his thigh and continued before he could interrupt.

"Don't speak Jethro, hear me out first."

When he didn't respond, she continued speaking.

"I agree with you in saying they were being childish in the way they were reacting to Tony and Ziva's behaviour, but the way you, as you put it, interrogated them was uncalled for. Especially Tim. In all honesty Jethro he really didn't do anything wrong. You know what Ziva is like and trying to control her can be a challenge for us, let alone Tim who's hesitant enough when it comes to disciplining her."

Jenny paused long enough to see that Gibbs was still listening to her.

"And Abby," she continued, "Well yes, I agree she did act childishly in engaging in a tug-o-war with Tony. But again, it didn't really warrant the anger and yelling that came from you. I think we need to sit those two down and discuss some strategies with them as for how to deal with Tony and Ziva when situations like this arise. It's not like they've grown up with them or even have parenting experience. They've suddenly been landed with a five and eleven year old and are expected to know what to do."

Gibbs was quiet for a moment while he processed what Jenny has said. Eventually he gave a small nod.

"I see what you're saying and I think the idea of giving them some strategies is a good point."

He rubbed his face with his hands before continuing.

"And yeah, I probably was a bit over the top. I'm tired and I know that's no excuse but to hear them yelling and screaming like that and knowing two of them are nearly thirty… I just expected better."

"And they got that message," replied Jenny. "Trust me, the whole camp got that message!"

She grinned at him and, despite the glare, she could see the softness in his eyes.

"That loud huh?" he asked sheepishly.

"Well…" hesitated Jenny."It wasn't subtle."

"Alright," conceded Gibbs, rubbing his hands on his thighs before standing, "I'll get the steaks cooking on the grill then have a talk to them. But I'm not revoking the bed time though. They all need an early night."

"And, as I said, so do we," replied Jenny, standing up next to Gibbs.

While Gibbs prepared the meat and heated up the grill, he and Jenny took the time to discuss some strategies Tim and Abby could put in place when dealing with Tony and Ziva.

"I'll let you go through those while I fix a salad," said Jenny, once they had agreed on a few suggestions. "I want to get Ziva in bed at a reasonable hour."

Gibbs looked at his watch and saw that it was nearly six o'clock.

"Yeah, OK" he agreed.

As the steaks seared over the heat of the flames, Gibbs, Abby and Tim sat in the annex. The latter two looking a little worried as to what Gibbs wanted to talk about.

"I know I'm not big on apologies," began Gibbs. "But, as I've always maintained, it's necessary with family. I over-reacted earlier when Jen and I entered the van and let my anger and frustration take over. I'm not saying what you were doing was acceptable, but you probably didn't deserve the reaction you received."

Pausing, Gibbs looked directly at Tim.

"Particularly you Tim," he said gently. "I know Ziva can be difficult to control and I guess you were probably doing your best to get her off the table."

Gibbs raised a reproachful eyebrow before adding, "The childish retort of 'I did not' when she challenged you later was still deserving of the head slap, however. Stooping to the level of a five year old is never a good move."

Tim, not really sure on what to say, simply nodded his head.

"As for you," continued Gibbs, turning his gaze to Abby. "You did a great job initially. Getting Tony off the seat and sending him to his room was the exact thing I would expect you to do. Where it went wrong, was when you allowed him to bait you into responding to his childish attempts to get your attention."

"But he had…" began Abby.

"Let me finish," insisted Gibbs. "Jen and I discussed this and we think it might be good to give you some strategies when dealing with Tony and Ziva. I know it's been hard suddenly having them thrust on you as younger siblings and, not having grown up with them, you haven't had the chance to develop ways in which to cope with their antics."

Looking back to Tim, Gibbs continued.

"When Ziva was on the table, why didn't you just grab her around the waist and put her on the floor?" asked Gibbs.

Tim cleared his throat before speaking.

"I asked her first to get down but she wasn't even listening. She was too distracted with trying to get away from Tony. When she realised I was there, well…" Pausing, Tim shrugged his shoulders. "It was like it had turned into a game," he continued. "I did try to grab her but she was all arms and legs, trying to fend me off and, to be honest, I thought she'd probably start kicking and fighting and I didn't really want to get into that with her."

"Tim," said Gibbs firmly. "If Ziva ever tries to kick or fight you in any way when you're asking her to stop doing something she shouldn't do, you have our full permission to discipline her. She knows that kicking and fighting are totally unacceptable and there's no way I would expect you to put up with that. You can put her in time out or send her to her room but, either way, you need to take charge. You're the adult."

Gibbs smirked slightly.

"Ziva's like a wild animal, she can smell fear," said Gibbs with a hint of amusement. "If you let her think she's got the best of you, you'll never get control of her. It's up to you as the adult to step up and do what needs to be done to ensure she obeys you. Jen and I trust you, Tim. She's five years old and three foot tall. You have to be firmer with her."

Tim nodded his head.

"Yeah, OK," he said.

Turning his attention to Abby, Gibbs continued.

"Same with you Abbs. As I said before, you did a great job in getting Tony off the seat and into his room. So how did you get from that to having a tug-o-war by the time we got there?"

"He took Bert, Gibbs," said Abby defensively. "You know how much he means to me."

Gibbs refrained from rolling his eyes.

"Tony can be a pain in the ass, but he's not malicious," reasoned Gibbs. "He wouldn't hurt Bert. All he was doing was baiting you to get attention."

"But I tried sending him to his room and he just ignored me," argued Abby.

"And that's when he knows he's got trouble with me," interjected Gibbs. "We've discuss this before. The minute he, or Ziva, disobeys either of you, they know they have to answer to me or Jen. So, when Tony came out of the room carrying Bert, what would have been a better response than chasing him?"

"I guess ignoring him?" suggested Abby.

"That'd work," agreed Gibbs. "Although I think there's something you could also say to him."

"What?" asked Abby, genuinely unsure.

"Remind him that if he isn't going to listen to you, he can wait for me to deal with him. Then you ignore him."

"OK," she said nodding. "I just got carried away because he had Bert."

"Well, like I said, Tony isn't malicious. He wouldn't do anything to Bert because he knows how much he means to you," repeated Gibbs. "Just don't stoop to his level. It only encourages him. And, believe me, he doesn't need the encouragement."

Tim and Abby smirked.

"Restrictions are still in place however," concluded Gibbs. "As Jenny has reminded me several times, we could all use an early night."

With the tensions of earlier dealt with and eased, the three of them headed into the van.


	7. Exploring the Otways

Chapter 7 - Exploring the Otways

"Jen, I'm not sure this is a good idea," reasoned Gibbs, repeating the point he'd been expressing all morning.

"And I'm telling you, I'm fine," retorted Jenny stubbornly. "Besides, the kids are restless, they need a day out."

"And they can get that by walking to the beach or the playground or even going down to the main street," argued Gibbs. "We don't need a full day out to keep them occupied."

He paused to look at her. Despite her insistence she was 'fine' Gibbs wasn't convinced.

"Stop scrutinizing me, Jethro," she snapped. "I said I'm fine."

As she turned and walk away, Gibbs let out a frustrated sigh.

He was about to follow her when Tony, carrying a large bundle of jackets, sidled up beside him.

"Where are we going today?" he asked, trying to peer over the pile of clothing.

"Not really sure, Bud," replied Gibbs, still somewhat annoyed by Jenny's stubbornness. "Mom has it all planned. Might be best to ask her."

"OK," said Tony shrugging as he made his way towards the car.

"Jethro," called Jenny from the annex door. "Can you give me a hand with this?"

Walking through the annex door, Gibbs noted the large box packed to the brim.

"What on earth do you have in here?" he exclaimed, lifting the heavy box and heading out towards the car.

Following behind with a cooler full of water, Jenny replied, "Just lunch supplies and snacks. I thought it would be nice to have a picnic between the walks."

"Walks?" asked Gibbs, not missing the plural use of the word. "So where exactly are we going?"

Placing the large box in the trunk, he took the cooler from Jenny and, checking the lid was on securely, found a space in the corner near the pile of jackets Tony had carelessly dumped.

"It's in the Otway Ranges," explained Jenny. "I found it last night using Google search. Once you reach the parking lot there are two main walks to take. One is about an hour long and the other is about two and a half hours long. I thought we could do the short one first."

Gibbs looked at her doubtfully.

"Honey, why don't we just do the shorter walk?" he suggested. "We could do the walk, have a picnic and head home."

"No, Jethro," replied Jenny, an unmistakable whine edging her voice. "I want to do both walks."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "If you don't want to come, fine! I'll take the kids on my own."

"Jen…" His voice was quiet, concerned; filled with confusion and worry. Reaching out he tried to place a reassuring hand on her arm but she stepped away, her tightly crossed arms unyielding to his attempts. Undeterred, he looked steadily into her eyes, trying to placate the feisty redhead before him.

"Why are you being so stubborn on this?"

Immediately, Jenny dropped her eyes, unable to bear the look of concern that that emanated from Gibbs. Her stomach churned with irritation at her own behaviour. She knew she was being unreasonable, she knew she was being stubborn and difficult. But lately she couldn't seem to help it. His suggestion of only tackling one walk made perfect sense and yet she still felt the need to argue. She didn't like being this way. If she were perfectly honest, her behaviour was annoying the hell out of her, so she could only just imagine what it was doing to those around her. Yet, despite this, she wasn't prepared to back down. Biting into the tender skin on the inside of her cheek, Jenny refused to answer Gibbs' question preferring, instead, to stare fixedly at a undefined point beyond his shoulder.

When the silence between them became almost unbearable, Jenny found herself slipping easily into a display of defensive irritation.

"So, are you coming or am I taking the kids on my own?" she snapped. She has intended her tone to be confident, tinged with haughtiness, but she knew she wasn't fooling Gibbs. His sharp skills of perception easily detected the minute wavering in her voice, the almost invisible hesitation.

Gibbs sighed with frustration.

"Of course I'm coming," he growled. "I need to be there in case you suddenly pass out or something."

Turning abruptly, he left her standing alone, not entirely sure if she had won that argument or not.

****NCIS****

So where are we going Mom?" asked Tony as Gibbs pulled out of the camping ground.

"To the Otway Ranges," answered Jenny. "From what I read last night, it's a National Park that's filled with rain-forest ferns, tall ancient ash trees and many waterfalls. I thought we could go for a couple of walks today and have a picnic lunch."

"Can we climb some of the tress?" asked Ziva excitedly.

Gibbs turned to Jenny and they grinned at each other. It was so typical "Ziva" to ask that question.

"I don't think so, honey," replied Jenny, turning her eyes to the child in the back. "The trees and plant life are protected so you have to stay on the path."

Seeing Ziva's disappointed face, Jenny continued brightly.

"From the pictures I saw though, there's a very long set of steps that leads all the way down to the waterfall."

"Cool!" shouted Ziva. "I love steps!"

"That's one of the walks," explained Jenny. "Then I thought we could have some lunch and go on the second walk. It follows a hiking path up to another waterfall. This one you look at from the top. The page said some of the trees are hundreds of years old. The area was once set up as a successful saw mill. The Mountain Ash trees were used for the building of houses in the area."

Turning to Gibbs she added, "Apparently there are old relics left from when it was a saw mill."

His interest sparked, Gibbs raised an eyebrow and nodded in acknowledgement.

"Will we see some koalas?" asked Ziva, putting her hand over the little koala that was currently clipped to her t-shirt.

"Not sure," replied Jenny. "Possibly. The page said the area was home to a lot of native animals."

"I wonder if we'll see any snakes?" asked Tony gleefully. "Australian snakes are really poisonous. One bite and you're dead!"

Ziva paled slightly.

"That's not true is it Daddy?"

"Well, Australia does have a lot of poisonous snakes but I don't think they can kill you that quickly and I'm fairly sure the hospitals carry the anti-venom needed if you do get bitten," reassured Gibbs.

"Yeah, but you have to get to the hospitals in time," argued Tony. "Aaaand….." he stretched out the word for added drama, "some snakes are pretty big. They might start eating your whole arm or leg!"

"Daddy?" wailed Ziva, trembling at the thought.

"Honey, Tony's just teasing you," replied Gibbs. "Aren't you Tony?" he added, giving the boy a brief, stern glance before looking back at the road.

"Maybe…" taunted Tony annoyingly.

"Ziva," called Tim from the back. "I don't think you need to worry. The snakes here are more scared of you than you are of them. As soon as they hear footsteps approaching, they'll slither away into the bush."

"I'm gonna stomp the whole way so they'll definitely know I'm coming," said Ziva determinedly.

"How long 'till we get there?" asked Tony.

"About an hour," replied Jenny.

"Did you bring any snacks?"

"Tony!" exclaimed Abby from behind. "Do you ever think of anything besides food?"

"Sure," said Tony. "I think of lots of things."

"Trust me Tony," said Gibbs, smirking slightly. "From the weight of the box Mom packed, there's enough food to feed us for a week!"

Jenny gave him a withering look before answering Tony.

"When we get there, we'll have a snack before we set off, OK?"

Tony sighed.

"I guess," he grumbled.

With the family happily chatting about their impending day, the driving time passed quickly and it wasn't long before Gibbs was pulling into the parking lot near the entrance to the two walks.

"OK team," called Gibbs, drawing everyone's attention once they'd returned from using the public toilets. "Basic ground rules apply. No wandering of the path and if you need to stop for anything, let me know."

He looked around at the small group assembled before him.

"Everyone clear?"

With a chorus of "Yes Dad" and "Yes Gibbs" echoing in his ear, Gibbs turned around and set off at vigorous pace.

Jogging to catch up with him, Jenny grabbed his hand and smirked.

"This is not a military exercise Hun," she said laughing as she rolled her eyes at him. "Slow down and enjoy the scenery."

Despite his misgivings about the day's planned activities, Gibbs couldn't help but smile as he took Jenny's hand and relaxed into the walk. Her outward enthusiasm for this day was contagious, her excitement when explaining what they might see and do, captivating. He thought about their earlier standoff. Yes, she could be stubborn at times but, he had to admit, it was one of the things he loved about her. Her determination and passion for life had attracted him from the first moment he'd met her. She had pushed everything aside to become one of the best agents he'd ever worked with but it had not happened without some personal cost. And it was that which worried him.

Lifting her hand to his mouth, Gibbs gently kissed the knuckles. As she looked up at him and smiled, he easily returned the gesture, reassuring her of his constant presence. However, he didn't miss the shadow that briefly crossed her face as she turned her gaze back to the path. Her smile, although genuine, had not reached the inner depths of her eyes. He frowned inwardly at the unease he felt in his gut. Something was amiss and Gibbs didn't like it when things were amiss. And he most definitely didn't like it when he couldn't instantly fix whatever it was that was setting his gut in motion. Unable to do little more than keep a close eye on Jenny, Gibbs returned his focus to the track ahead.

As they meandered their way along the bush track, the family were grateful for the lack of crowds. Being winter and school term meant that tourists were down to a minimum so when Tim suddenly stopped to stare at something among the ferns, it was only Abby, Tony and Ziva who crashed into him.

"Timmy!" exclaimed Abby crossly. "Don't just suddenly stop. The path's big enough that you can step to the side and out of our way."

"Sorry," mumbled Tim. "But look at this!"

Distracted by what Tim was looking at, Abby, Ziva and Tony all crowded around him.

"Hey!" called Gibbs from further along the path."What did I say about stopping?"

"Gibbs!" shouted Abby, ignoring Gibbs' reprimand, "Come and look at what Timmy's found."

Letting out a frustrated sigh, Gibbs, followed by Jenny, made his way back to where the others stood.

"Look Daddy," said Ziva, excitedly, pointing in front of her, "It's a spider's web."

Gibbs leaned forward and squinted into the sunlight. Nestled among the ferns and highlighted by the rays of sunshine that shone though its silken threads, was the most beautiful spider's web Gibbs had ever seen. Forty inches in diameter, the perfect piece of symmetry wavered slightly in the cool breeze.

"That's beautiful," gasped Jenny, as she, too, stared at the work of art.

"I wonder where the spider is?" asked Ziva, looking around the edges of where the web attached to the ferns.

"Nowhere around here I hope," replied Tony nervously.

Since his recent run in with the redback, spiders were no longer on Tony's list of creepy crawlies he was willing to meet, especially on a deserted bush track.

"Says the boy who was so eager to see a snake," retorted Gibbs, remember Tony's conversation from the car.

"I didn't say I wanted to see a snake," replied Tony quickly. "I just wondered if we might. There's a big difference Dad."

Gibbs smirked.

"Right, of course," he said teasingly.

"Besides," added Tony, backing away from the web and starting off down the track again, "Anything that can build a web that big must be huge!"

After about twenty minutes of walking, the family reached the beginnings of what looked like a very steep staircase. Staring down at the way the steps twisted and turned out of sight, they were unable to see where the steps finished.

"Now that's what I call a set of steps!" said Abby eagerly.

"Don't be too eager Abby," said Tim. "What goes down must come up! The return journey is going to be hell."

"Oh yeah," replied Abby. "I didn't think of that."

Gibbs stared at the never ending steps with a mixture of dread and worry. Dread, because he wasn't sure if his knees would hold out for that long and, worry, because he wasn't sure how Jenny was going to manage the monstrosity.

"You gonna be OK going down those?" he asked quietly, putting his arm around her shoulder.

"Of course Jethro," she snapped, shrugging him off. "It's only a set of stairs. I'm not an invalid."

"I'm not saying you are," replied Gibbs gently, "I'm just pointing out it's a long way down and the return journey is going to be even worse."

"I'll be fine," she retorted confidently and, as if to prove her point, started down the steps with an exaggerated show of energy.

Following her lead, Tony and Ziva began to descend, jogging slightly to keep up with the redhead who was ploughing on ahead.

"Don't run!" called Gibbs to the children. When their apparent lack of obedience became obvious, Gibbs tried again. "Tony, Ziva, slow down!"

"We're trying to keep up with Mom," called back Tony.

Thankfully, on hearing those words, Jenny had the sense to slow down. Having, she hoped, proven her point to Gibbs, she was more than willing to slow her pace. The initial burst of energy had taken more out of her than she was willing to admit.

The view at the bottom was well worth the effort of the descent. The cascading water, falling from a great height, hit the river below with such force, the noise was deafening. They had guessed it was going to be spectacular when, not even at the bottom of the stairs, the spray from the waterfall had reached them.

"This is beautiful," exclaimed Jenny, holding up her phone and taking a few photographs.

"Certainly is," agreed Gibbs. "Great find, Hun."

"Oh, not so bad after all then?" asked Jenny, putting her arm around his waist as he moved in closer to her.

"I never said it was bad," he said kissing the side of her head. "I'm just worried you're overdoing things, that's all."

"I'm-" she began

"Yes, fine," he said interrupting her with an exasperated sigh. "You've mentioned that, several times. Doesn't stop me worrying."

"Well you can stop worrying, Jethro," replied Jenny. "Enjoy the scenery instead."

Turning her head, Jenny caught sight of Ziva.

"Although, you may want to start worrying about your daughter," said Jenny smirking slightly. "I think she's headed for a shower."

Seeing Ziva was just about to climb onto one of the rocks near the waterfall, Gibbs broke into a quick jog and scooped the little girl into his arms.

"I don't think so," he said sternly as he put her on the ground. "Where do you think you were going young lady?"

"I wanted to see what it looked like close up," explained Ziva. "Why did you pull me off that rock?"

"Because it's dangerous, Ziva," replied Gibbs. "That rock is very wet which means it's slippery. You could have fallen in."

"No I wouldn't," scoffed Ziva. "I'm careful Daddy."

"Well, either way, do not climb the rocks near the waterfall. Stay on the path, OK?" cautioned Gibbs.

Sighing loudly, Ziva eventually conceded.

"OK," she muttered.

After ten minutes of admiring the stunning view before them, the family decided to make the trek back up the steep set of steps to the track.

"What did you pack for lunch Mom?" asked Tony, his thoughts soon turning to food.

"Yeah, I'm starving," agreed Ziva. "I hope you packed lots!"

"Oh I did," replied Jenny. "There's a choice of ham sandwiches or egg salad sandwiches, plenty of fruit and," she paused to gain the children's attention, "I packed some chocolate for a special treat."

"Yummy!" exclaimed Ziva.

By the time they were about half way up the stair laden track, energy levels were definitely beginning to wane.

Ziva, who's experience was even further hampered by the fact the steps were quite large and unevenly spaced, had given up long ago and was now riding on Gibbs' shoulders. Tim and Tony were giving a good impression of battling on but their hot sweaty faces were testament to how tired they were becoming. Even Abby, with her boundless energy, was now taking each step with a gritted expression on her face. But it was Jenny Gibbs was most worried about. Having fallen to the end of the line, the redhead was struggling. Her pace was slow and deliberate and each step looked as if it cost a great effort to take.

Having stopped earlier to adjust Ziva on his shoulders and allow Tim, Tony and Abby to overtake him, Gibbs now walked alongside Jenny, ensuring she was OK without making it obvious he was hovering. Knowing she would become defensive if he asked her how she was doing, Gibbs decided it was best to remain quiet and just keep an eye on her. It didn't stop him being concerned however and it was taking all his willpower not to insist she stop for a rest.

He was, therefore, very relieved when the steps finally ended and the evenly gravelled track loomed before them.

"Oh thank goodness," puffed Abby, as she took her last step. "I thought that was never going to end!"

"Me too," agreed Tim. "I'm exhausted."

When they finally emerged from the track and into the parking lot, Tony made a dramatic show of walking unsteadily before collapsing on the gravelled ground.

"I can't move!" he announced from his prostrate position. "You'll have to feed me here so I can rebuild my energy levels."

"Yeah, not gonna happen, Bud," said Gibbs as he walked past the prone body lying on the ground.

Lifting Ziva off his shoulders, he rolled his eyes humorously as she, too, copied Tony's antics and flopped down on the ground next to him.

"Come on you two," called Gibbs. "You'll get eaten alive by bugs if you stay on the ground."

Springing up immediately to a standing position, both children began swatting vigorously at their backs and legs to remove any unwanted insects.

Making his way to the car, Gibbs opened the trunk and pulled out the box of food. As he set it on the picnic table he looked around for Jenny.

"Where's Jen?" he asked Abby, who had grabbed the cooler of water and was following behind.

"Bathroom," replied Abby.

She set the cooler down on the table.

"Hey, is Jenny OK?" asked Abby. "She seemed really quiet on the walk back. I asked her if anything was wrong and she said she was fine."

"I think she's just tired Abbs," replied Gibbs, playing down his own worry. "She didn't sleep well last night."

"She…um…she told me about what happened with Grenouille and the baby and everything," began Abby tentatively. She reached out for Gibbs arm and gave him a gentle squeeze.

"I'm sorry Gibbs," she whispered quietly.

Kissing her gently on the head, Gibbs said, "Don't be Abbs. I think Tony and Ziva are more than we can handle right now. A baby was probably never on the cards anyway."

Nodding her head into his arm, Abby gave Gibbs a quick hug before pulling away.

"Yeah, I know, I'm still sorry though," she said, shrugging slightly.

"Thanks Abbs," replied Gibbs giving her shoulder a quick squeeze.

Turning his attention to the others he let out a loud piercing whistle. As everyone turned in his direction he called, "Food's ready! If you don't hurry up, Abby and I will take all the chocolate!"

"No way!" shouted Tony, making a dash for the picnic table.

****NCIS****

"Have you eaten anything?" asked Gibbs, staring at Jenny's empty plate.

"I'm not hungry," she replied quietly.

"Come on Hun, you need to eat something," insisted Gibbs gently. "Even if it's just a piece of fruit."

"I said I'm not hungry," repeated Jenny, standing up and walking to where the thermos of hot coffee was standing.

They had placed it on a second picnic table to avoid anyone knocking it over and getting burnt.

"I'll just have another coffee."

"You can have the rest of my sandwich," offered Tony. "I think three was probably too many."

"Ya think!" replied Gibbs, giving Tony a wry look. "I told you three would be too much. You'll make yourself sick."

"No thanks, Baby," called Jenny from where she was pouring a coffee. "I'll be fine with this."

She held up the freshly poured coffee mug and headed back to the table.

"Do you want another?" she asked Gibbs, seeing his mug was empty.

"Nah, I'm good," he said, putting his hand over his mug to stop her taking it. "I can get it, you sit down."

Jenny sighed and rolled her eyes.

"I asked you if you wanted another," she said with annoyance. "I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't willing to get you one."

Gibbs gave her a pointed look.

"I know that," he said deliberately, the words barely audible.

Maintaining the penetrating glare, Gibbs picked up his mug. Unwilling to make a scene in front of the family, he finally turned away and headed to the thermos.

Watching Gibbs as he poured the steaming liquid into his mug, Jenny felt wracked with guilt and regret. She knew she was being completely unreasonable. Her words had been cutting and uncalled for and she couldn't blame Gibbs for glaring at her in that way. She was grateful for his diplomacy in not calling her out in front of everyone.

Lifting her hand to her forehead, Jenny massaged the bridge of her nose absentmindedly.

"Headache?"

Startled out of her current state of negative musing, Jenny stared at Abby who had uttered the single word question.

"Um, yeah, a bit," she replied.

Seeing the worried expression on Abby's face, Jenny stretched out her neck, straightened her back and tried to smile reassuringly. She knew she had failed miserably in convincing Abby all was well. The awkward silence that followed was testament to that.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, Honey," she said cheerfully, turning to Ziva and very thankful for the distraction.

"I don't want to do another walk. I'm too tired."

"Me either," said Tony, pausing between bites of his apple. "That one was enough for me."

"Can we go back to the camp ground?" continued Ziva. "I want to go on the playground again. They've got a cool climbing frame."

"I think that's a great idea," said Gibbs, returning with his now full coffee mug and taking a seat at the table.

Jenny's gaze glanced over the red faces of her children. Dried sweat tracks streaked across their cheeks giving the unmistakable look of exhaustion. Realizing she had been handed the perfect excuse to back out of completing the second walk she had so stubbornly insisted they should do, she grabbed the opportunity with both hands. She had been dreading the thought of tackling the three mile hike but there was no way she was going to suggest going home because she felt tired. Therefore, hiding behind her children's desire to head back to camp seemed like the perfect solution.

Trying hard to not look too eager, Jenny turned to Tim an Abby.

"What about you two?" she asked. "Do you want to go back as well?"

When both adults nodded in the affirmative, Jenny threw up her hands in feigned resignations.

"Well, I guess that's settled then," she said, trying to maintain an aura of disappointment while inwardly she almost cried with relief. At this point in time her head was pounding and she really wanted nothing more than to curl up and sleep for days. However, she would rather complete a three day hike than admit that to Gibbs.

Standing abruptly, Jenny reached across the table in order to gather the leftover food. Unfortunately, she hadn't been prepared for the wave of nausea that hit her like a ton of bricks. Swaying unsteadily, she slammed her hand over her mouth and made a desperate run for the nearby concrete block that served as a public bathroom. Slamming open the heavily graffitied wooden door, she doubled over the cold stainless steel bowl and heaved the contents of her stomach which, considering she hadn't eaten anything that day, consisted of nothing more than diluted coffee.

Feeling a set of gentle but calloused hands reach for her hair and hold it back from her face, Jenny knew that Gibbs had followed her directly into the toilet cubicle.

"Ah Jen," he said, his voice maintaining a mixture of frustration and concern. "What am I going to do with you?"

Grabbing a copious amount of toilet paper, Jenny wiped at her mouth before standing gingerly and pushing her way past Gibbs and towards the white enamel basins. She heard the toilet flush as she turned on the tap and allowed the near freezing water pour over her hands. Cupping them into a makeshift bowl, she splashed water on her face and tried to rinse her mouth as best she could. When she finally turned away from the basins, she found her path blocked by Gibbs who placed a hand on each of her upper arms and forced her to look at him.

"I'm stopping in at grocery store on our way back and buying some electrolytes," he said firmly. "If you won't eat anything you can at least get some sugars and minerals into your system."

As Jenny opened her mouth to protest, Gibbs tightened his hold.

"And don't you dare argue," he growled before she had chance to speak. "It's either that or I drag you kicking and screaming to the local E.R. and get you on a drip. Your choice Jen!"

He meant business and Jenny knew it. Suddenly overwhelmed with emotion, Jenny did the one thing she absolute didn't want to do; she burst into tears.

Unexpected though it was, Gibbs wasn't entirely surprised by the sudden rush of tears. Days of pent up emotion, stress and being unwell had finally taken its toll on Jenny's body. Leading her out of the cold concrete room, he steered her away from the picnic area and settled them both on a long wooden bench which was positioned on the other side of the toilet block and out of view from the rest of the family.

Sitting on the bench, Jenny brought her knees up to her chest and leaned her body into Gibbs'. His arm was wrapped protectively around her shoulders giving her a sense that, despite how things were at the moment, this too would pass and all would be right with the world once again.

After several minutes, Jenny brushed angrily at the traitorous tears. Gibbs felt her body go rigid as she tried to sit up and pull away from him.

"It's OK Honey," he said soothingly. "You are allowed to cry."

"But this is ridiculous," she snapped, angry at her own show of weakness. "I don't even know what's wrong with me. One minute I'm fine, the next I'm ready to kill the first person who looks sideways at me and now I'm blubbering like a baby."

Dragging her fingers through her hair, Jenny took a deep breath before turning her head in Gibbs' direction.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly, feeling a renewed flow of tears trickle down her cheeks.

Gibbs grinned to himself before saying, "Don't apologize, it's..."

He was pleased to see the watery smile that crossed Jenny's face.

"It's a sign of weakness," she finished for him, her breath catching slightly in her throat.

Leaning into her, Gibbs placed a gentle kiss on her temple.

"Speaking of weaknesses," he began softly, "Why aren't you eating at the moment?"

He felt her body shrug indifferently.

"That's not an answer Jen," he replied, a hint of sternness returning to his tone.

As the silence enveloped them like a blanket, Gibbs sat and waited. He had never been afraid of silence. To him it was a welcome relief from the forced banter of everyday life. Therefore he was comfortable to sit and wait until Jenny was ready to speak. For Jenny however, the silence was almost deafening. Knowing Gibbs was waiting for her answer added an extra stress she really didn't need right now.

"I don't know," she finally said. "I'm…I'm just not hungry. I look at food and the thought of putting it in my mouth and chewing seems to take too much effort." She paused reflectively. "I did eat yesterday," she eventually said, hoping to gain some approval.

Gibbs eyed her wryly.

"One Danish and two mouthfuls of salad hardly constitutes eating," he retorted, smirking as she bowed her head sheepishly.

"You need to start looking after yourself Jen," he continued, his tone serious and edged with concern. "The last couple of weeks has taken its toll on all of us. I don't think even I was prepared for the effect it was going to have. But, refusing to eat, not resting when you need to and stubbornly pushing yourself beyond your capabilities certainly isn't going to make things easier."

Feeling her anger begin to rise at being rebuked so firmly, Jenny snapped, "I'm not the only one, Jethro."

Furrowing his eyebrows, Gibbs replied, "What do you mean?"

"Well, you're not exactly Mr Perfect either," she retorted. "You've been snapping at the children, your patience is wearing thinner than normal. I'm just saying," she added, seeing the incredulous look on Gibbs' face. "I'm not the only one who's been affected by this."

"I know that," replied Gibbs, raising his eyebrows in response to her outburst. "I just said I've been surprised at the effect it has had on all of us."

His words hung in the air and Jen found herself, once again, filled with regret.

"Jeez!" she cursed under her breath as she abruptly stood and stepped away from the bench. "What's wrong with me! I'm being such a bitch at the moment."

Reaching out, Gibbs took Jenny's arm and pulled her towards him stopping only once she was sat on his lap.

"For a start, you need to stop berating yourself," he murmured against her ear as she relaxed against him and leaned her head on his chest.

"We'll get through this Hun," he reassured her. "It might take time but we'll get through this."

"Will we?" she asked, her green eyes widening in childish innocence. "What if we don't? What if this becomes bigger than we can cope with?"

"It won't," replied Gibbs firmly. "I won't let it."

"Not everything goes away just because you tell it to," said Jenny, but her words were tinged with humor as she added, "Most things do, I agree, but not everything."

Snorting with laughter, Gibbs held her close as he captured her lips in his and kissed her deeply.

Pulling away, he patted her hip firmly.

"Come on," he said briskly, bringing them both to a standing position. "We better get back. I'm sure the kids are worried about you."

As they emerged from behind the public toilets, Ziva let out a squeal of delight.

"Mommy!" she yelled, releasing herself from Tim's grip as she ran towards Gibbs and Jenny. "Are you OK? Timmy wouldn't let me come and see you."

Jenny smiled down at the indignant look on Ziva's face and could only just imagine the battle Tim had just endured getting Ziva to stay put at the table.

"I'm fine Peanut," she said, holding out her arms and lifting Ziva onto her hip. "I think Mommy still has a tummy bug."

"Don't give it to me," said Ziva, leaning back and putting as much distance between them as possible.

Jenny laughed.

"I don't think it contagious," she replied, smiling at the five year old's reaction. "But, just in case, I promise I won't breathe all over you."

"And cover your mouth when you cough," added Ziva seriously.

"Yes Ma'am," replied Jenny, fondly kissing her daughter's head before placing her back on the ground.

"Are we going back to the camp ground now?" called Tony. He was leaning nonchalantly against the car. "I reckon I could've walked home by now."

"Why didn't you?" asked Gibbs playfully as the family sauntered to the vehicle. "You could've put the coffee on for us."

Tony rolled his eyes and pulled a face.

"Funny Dad," he replied sarcastically.

"I thought so," commented Gibbs, ruffling the boy's hair as he unlocked the car.

Opening Jenny's door, Gibbs waited until she was seated. As she turned to grab the seatbelt, Gibbs leaned in and softly repeated his earlier words, "We will get through this, I promise."

This time, Jenny smiled.

"I know," she said, nodding her head. "I know."


	8. Terror and Acceptance

**Thanks for reading.**

Chapter 8 - Terror and Acceptance

"Hey Bud. Why're you up?"

Gibbs lowered his eyes from the TV to look at his son. Hair disheveled from sleep and eyes that were still squinting in the bright light, he watched as Tony shuffled into kitchen area where he, Jenny and Abby were sat watching a movie.

"I'm thirsty," said Tony, his voice croaky from having just woken up.

Standing, Gibbs grabbed a plastic tumbler off the counter and poured water from the tap.

"What ya watching?" asked Tony as Gibbs handed him the cup.

"Um…not really sure, Bud," replied Gibbs, looking to the girls for help.

Abby rolled her eyes.

"The Devil Wears Prada," she replied, amazed at how Gibbs could stare at a screen for nearly two hours and have no idea as to what he was watching.

Gibbs turned back to Tony.

"Yeah that," he said, grinning at the eleven year old.

As Tony took a sip of water, the movie cut to an ad break. Staring at the screen while he drank, his attention was suddenly caught by the loud music that filled the air.

"Oh my god! Dad! Look!"

Tony was almost jumping on the spot with excitement.

"It's Raiders Of The Lost Ark!"

Excited green eyes turned to the blue.

"Can I watch it, pleeeease!" he begged, drawing out the last word to an almost impossible length.

"Tony, it's nearly 10.30," replied Gibbs. "I'm sorry Bud, but no. You need to go back to sleep."

"Oh but Dad! This is such a cool movie," continued Tony, not ready to concede defeat just yet. "I saw it last year on cable when Senior left me at the hotel for three days. Please, please please!"

"No Tony," repeated Gibbs, this time more firmly.

Tony's shoulders slumped in disappointment.

"It's not fair!" he grumbled dejectedly.

"Why don't we look for it on DVD?" suggested Abby. "I'm sure we'll be able to find it."

Still not entirely happy, Tony nodded half-heartedly while chewing on the rim of the plastic cup.

"Come on," said Gibbs briskly. "Finish the drink, then back to bed."

Drawing out the last couple of sips to the maximum time allowed before his Dad become really annoyed, Tony leaned into Jenny.

"You feeling better Mom?" he asked, snuggling into her side.

Despite knowing he was only stalling for time, Jenny appreciated the gesture.

"Getting there Hun," she replied, wrapping her arm around his waist. "I'm sure I'll be much better tomorrow."

"Hope so," said Tony, leaning his head on her shoulder. "I don't like it when you're sick."

Smiling at his words, Jenny placed a gentle kiss on the boy's head.

"Thanks, Baby," she said softly. Then, patting his bottom affectionately, she added with mock sternness, "Bed, Mister!"

Tony groaned.

"Just five minutes?"

"No!" answered both his parents in unison.

Resigned to his fate, Tony pulled away from Jenny and placed the cup on the sink. As he turned to head back to the bedroom, he was suddenly hit with an idea.

"I'll just go to the bathroom," he said, turning back towards the group. "All that water… you know…"

"Timmy's in there," replied Abby, before Tony even took his next step. "He's having a shower."

"How about you go back to bed, and I'll call you when Tim's out," suggested Gibbs, knowing for certain this was just another ploy to stay up longer.

"But, I really need to go," whined Tony, grabbing his crotch and bending dramatically. "I could use the ones outside. They're not far from our camper."

Gibbs rolled his eyes.

"Alright," he conceded with an exasperated sigh. "Go and grab your jacket and put on some shoes. I'll get the flashlight."

Turning abruptly, Tony disappeared down the short passageway that led to the shared bedroom.

Jenny sniggered as Gibbs reached for his jacket and began putting it on.

"You offering to go instead?" he asked, trying to glare at the red head but easily betrayed by the twinkle in his eye.

"No, no," Jenny assured him easily. "He'll need you to take him to the men's room. Of course, if it were Ziva…." Jenny deliberately left the sentence hanging, her eyes dancing with mischief.

"Oh, I could wake her up if you like," taunted Gibbs.

"Yeah, right!" replied Jenny. "As if I'm going to believe that!"

Gibbs snorted. She was right of course. Even for the sake of proving a point to Jenny, it was not worth the fallout of waking Ziva.

As Tony emerged from the bedroom and spied Gibbs standing at the door wearing his Jacket and holding the flashlight, he furrowed his brows.

"Where're you going?" he asked, genuinely confused.

"Where do ya think I'm going?" replied Gibbs, the question obviously rhetorical. "Come on." he added as he turned to open the door.

"I'm not a baby, Dad," scoffed Tony indignantly, as he made his way past the table. "I'm quite capable of going to the bathroom by myself."

"I know Tony," placated Gibbs. "But it's dark outside."

"So?" retorted Tony. "I'm eleven years old, not five! And it's just down the road."

Gibbs thought for a second. Tony had a point. It was only about a hundred yards down the road and it was a perfect opportunity to acknowledge to the boy that he and Jenny recognized he was growing up.

Handing Tony the flashlight, Gibbs said, "Straight there and straight back. No getting distracted."

Taking the light, Tony rolled his eyes.

"Dad, I'm going to the bathroom," he said scornfully. "What's there to distract me? The toilet paper?"

"Knowing you, anything's possible," replied Gibbs bluntly.

With a second eye roll, Tony flicked on the flashlight and opened the door.

"If I'm not back in five, you better come looking for me," he said casually. "I might be practising my origami skills with the paper squares."

He grinned cheekily as he scarpered out the door, effectively ducking out of Gibbs' reach.

Stepping out of annex, Tony breathed in the crisp night air. The clear sky was illuminated with thousands of stars, made even more visible by the lack of moon. Making his way down the graveled road, Tony was surprised at how different the landscape looked at night. The avenue of eucalyptus trees which offered a shaded canopy during the day, now appeared more menacing as their branches stretched out and shadowed the path with seemingly ominous intent. Stopping for a second, Tony shone the flashlight into the nearest tree. The strong beam flooded the roughened bark of the trunk with light and highlighted where the branches split into a road map of different directions. Concentrating on the twists and turns of the gnarled limbs, Tony wasn't expecting the sudden flash of two red eyes that darted away from the strong shaft of light. The scuffling sound of claws skimming across the bark made Tony jump in fright as the flashlight flew from his hand and landed in the leaf litter under the tree.

Feeling his heart beating in his throat, Tony clutched his chest. Realizing it was probably a koala or a possum he had just seen and not the devil incarnate, the boy steadied himself and tried desperately to calm his breathing. The discarded flashlight lay on the ground, its strong beam lighting the lower half of the tree. Noticing the ground was thick with leaves and twigs, Tony reminded himself that snakes were cold blooded and rarely active at night. Nevertheless, he sent up a quick prayer that all legless reptiles were tucked safely in their beds for the night before taking a deep breath and cautiously picking up the flashlight. With all fingers still intact, Tony gave a sigh of relief and continued on to the public bathrooms.

As he approached the brick building, thankful for the outside lights that welcomed his arrival, he could just make out the sound of an engine in the distance. It sounded like a vehicle of some sort. And, if he strained his ears, he was sure he could hear shouts and yells echoing through the darkness. Already spooked by his encounter with the nocturnal wildlife, Tony wasn't keen to experience any more nightly activities surrounding this camp ground.

He headed around to the men's side of the public facilities and opened the door, relieved when the room flooded with light as the motion sensor detected his presence. Even with the yellow glow, the cold, silent room had Tony's nerves standing on end, his senses acutely aware of every sound and movement, real or imagined.

Suddenly feeling a strong desire to hide behind a comforting door, Tony chose to use a cubicle rather than the exposed urinal. As he relieved himself, he became acutely aware that the vehicle he'd heard earlier was sounding much closer than before. The engine revved loudly and Tony deduced it was some kind of car rather than a motorbike. Finishing quickly, the young boy righted his clothes and, not wishing to stay here a moment longer than necessary, didn't even bother to wash his hands, before half jogging to the exit and stepping back out into the cold night air.

It could have been his imagination, but he was sure a thin veil of mist had suddenly descended while he'd been in the building. The exterior lights, now eerily haloed by the small particles of water surrounding them, struggled to penetrate the atmosphere, distorting Tony's ability to see clearly. As he stepped back onto the path, he felt his heart quicken against his chest, the muffled sound of the distant car intensifying his fears.

The car was definitely coming closer and the shouts and yells of its occupants had Tony beginning to panic. What if they had seen him? What if they meant him harm? He found himself questioning the necessity of the flashlight. Although it was currently lighting his way through this misty, moonless night, it was also alerting any would be assailants to his presence. Making a quick decision, Tony flicked off the light and found himself suddenly engulfed in darkness.

Then he heard it. The unmistakable sound of a gunshot echoing through the stillness of the night.

Tony's blood ran cold. In an instant, he was transported back to another time and place. He was in his backyard, his Mom was next to him leading him back into the house. A shot….a hand on his back… the flight of desperation to get to the back door….another hand pulling him down into the basement….cold…dark….the smell of sweat and fear….

Tony eyes widened in alarm. Trying frantically to take in his surrounds, his mind became confused. Where was he? He had to hide…run away…they were trying to kill him…they were trying to kill his Dad.

Dad.

Mom.

Ziva.

He couldn't go back to the camper. He would lead them straight to his family. Suddenly, two pin-prick beams of light penetrated through the darkness. The car! Was it headed straight for him? He had to get away. He had to take it away from his family.

Breaking into a run, Tony veered off the path and into the concealment of the bush. His pounding feet took him further and further away from the camping ground but not away from the sound of the engine. It was coming closer. Chasing him like a predator after its prey.

Suddenly, his foot caught on a tree root and he fell. Smashing his face into the ground he felt, for the second time that night, the flashlight fly out of his hand. Not bothering to look for it, Tony picked himself up and continued running. Disorientated by the fall, he no longer knew the direction in which he was going but he didn't care. So long as he kept running away from the light, he knew his family would be safe.

Another shot rang out, closer this time. He could hear the jeers and 'whoops' of the car's occupants. Could they see him? Did they know their target was close?

He had to hide.

Looking around he spied a small clearing ahead.

No, he thought, that wouldn't do. Too open.

But, just beyond the clearing, a thick hedge of bushes rose out of the darkness. If he could make it across the clearing and into those bushes, he would stand a good chance of not being seen.

Calculating the distance and the time it would take to reach the other side, Tony hesitated just long enough to hear a shout echo through the night.

"There he is!"

Instantly, the whole clearing was lit up like day. The strong beam of the car's headlights blinded Tony, making it impossible for him to run. All he could do was take shelter behind one of the tall trees whose branches loomed over him like shadowed scepters. Crouching low, he became aware of a rustling in the leaves around him. Scattered footsteps, irregular in their panic darted around him then, suddenly, the world was rendered silent.

The bullet blasted through the air and, without fear or prejudice, found its target with deadly precision.

Tony opened his eyes but saw nothing.

Was he dead?

Was this what it was like to die?

He'd thought it would hurt more.

He'd been shot hadn't he?

He'd heard the explosion, felt the 'whoosh' as the air was sliced around him, heard the thud as the bullet found its target.

But, there was no pain.

Allowing his senses to adjust to this new understanding, Tony assessed his surrounds. It was still night. He could feel the unevenness of the ground, smell the eucalyptus, taste the moisture in the air. And, as the echo of what had just taken place dissolved into memory, he could hear the return of nocturnal activity. Life was continuing. He became aware of the thud in his chest. His life was continuing. He wasn't dead.

Squinting into the moonless night, Tony tried desperately to make out any familiar shapes, any recognizable landmarks. But all his brain could comprehend was the endless expanse of scrubland and trees.

No, wait a minute. He could see something. Just ahead of him. A small, grey lump lay on the ground. Getting to his hands and knees, Tony crawled slowly towards it. It didn't move. Even with the noise of his knees rustling though the undergrowth, the rabbit lay motionless. And Tony knew it was a rabbit. Even before his brain had registered the features, he knew. For something had stirred in his memory. A flash of light, a sickening thud and an instant stillness.

Leaning over the lifeless body, he was surprised by the amount of blood that pooled like a shiny dark puddle. The hole, small and round had hit with deadly precision right above the rabbit's eyes, piercing the skull but not shattering it.

Tony reached out and touched the small body. It was still warm. He stroked the head and ran his fingers over the long ears. They returned to his lap, wet and sticky. Without a second thought, Tony picked up the small creature and cradled it in his arms. Only minutes ago it had been alive. Blood has coursed through its body, not out of it. In a fraction of a second, its life had been stilled. No second chances, no reset. Gone.

He didn't know how long he sat there, in the cold and dark. The creature in his arms had begun to feel heavy, awkward to hold but Tony didn't care. He needed to hold it. He didn't know why. He knew it was dead. He knew there was nothing he could do for it but he felt he owed it to the tiny animal whose life had been so violently taken.

He suddenly became aware of voices in the distance. His heart stilled. Had the gunmen, on realizing they had missed their intended target, returned? He listened carefully, wishing he could turn down the volume of his beating heart. He needed to concentrate. To focus on the sounds around him.

Yes, the voices were male, he ascertained. And they were calling something; something familiar. Once again the traitorous booming of his heart seemed to echo around the bush, surely revealing his position. Tony's body froze in fear. His arms clutched around the rabbit tighter as if its body may offer some protection. But that was impossible. The creature was dead. Was he to be next?

Shutting his eyes tightly against the incessant calling that became louder as its approach became nearer, Tony curled his body into a tight ball and flattened his back against the tree.

"Tony!"

They knew his name. How did they know his name?

"Tony! It's Dad, where are you?"

It's a trick, he thought. But it did sound like his Dad's voice. Maybe it was Dad. Maybe he should call out. But no, surely it was trick. The gunmen were forcing his dad to sound calm and strong to lure him out of hiding. Then suddenly hit by a sickening thought, Tony felt his stomach heave. If the gunmen were forcing his Dad, that meant they had managed to captured him. That meant his Dad was in trouble. He had to save him.

Summoning courage he didn't know he had, Tony's brain fought against the wave of nausea as he opened his mouth.

"I'm here."

Was that his voice? That pathetic squeak that barely penetrated the space around him.

He took a deep breath.

"I'm here!" he shouted.

Instantly, silence descended around him. Then…

"Tony?"

His Dad's voice was clear and strong.

"I'm here!" he shouted again.

Footsteps quickened. The ground around him cracked as heavy feet crashed over the undergrowth. Tony closed his eyes, afraid of what he might see.

He expected roughness. He expected to be hauled to his feet, shaken, pushed, possibly even punched. But the hands that touched him were gentle, softly caressing his face, gently probing for injury before they enveloped him in a desperate hug.

"Tony? Are you hurt?"

The voice didn't sound forced and Tony allowed himself to partially open his eyes. He was confronted with his Dad's face. Beads of sweat were illuminated by the beam of a second flashlight. But, as Tony took in the second man, he recognized him instantly. It was Bill, the owner of the camp ground and he wasn't holding a gun.

Tony squinted as the flashlight flickered across his face.

"He looks OK." Bill's voice broke through the silence. "Scared, but not injured."

"Yeah," croaked Gibbs. "He's OK."

"What's he holding?" asked Bill, the flashlight once again flickering across Tony's body.

"It's a rabbit," replied Gibbs. "It's dead."

"Tony?"

Tony's jumped slightly. The voice was addressing him. He looked up into the shadows of his Dad's eyes.

"Can you put the rabbit down, Bud?"

Tony frowned.

No, he thought. No!

Unable to speak, Tony shook his head.

"It's dead Tony."

His Dad's voice was calm and reassuring but Tony couldn't release the hold on his companion. Not now, not after everything he'd just gone through.

As Gibbs reached forward to take the creature from Tony's grip, the boy stiffened. Pulling the rabbit closer into his chest, Tony bent his head protectively over the soft fur.

Gibbs pulled back, understanding, for now at least, Tony needed to be connected to the lifeless creature. Crouching, Gibbs slid one arm under Tony's knees and the other around the boy's shoulders and easily lifted the small frame until he stood, Tony now cradled in his arms.

The walk back to the camper didn't register in Tony's mind. One minute he was huddled on the ground, the next he was being gently placed on his parent's bed.

The air around him was warm, softly lit and comforting. He felt tender arms remove his jacket and slip his shoes from his feet. His face was caressed gently, his hair swept from his eyes.

"Mom?" he croaked

"Yes Baby," replied Jenny softly, her voice thick with emotion.

Tony held out the rabbit.

"Fix it… please?" he asked.

Jenny stared at the lifeless creature, its body stiff with rigor mortis. She looked at Gibbs in bewilderment before turning her attention back to Tony.

"I can't, Honey," she said helplessly. "It's dead."

Tony heard the words but his comprehension was slow. Finally he spoke.

"Can we ring Ducky?" he asked. "He'll know what to do."

"Honey, the rabbit's gone," repeated Jenny. "It's dead, Sweetie. There's nothing anyone can do."

Gibbs and Jenny watched as Tony's brows furrowed. His mind trying to understand what he was hearing.

As comprehension slowly dawned on the young boy's face, he took a deep shuddering breath.

"It…" he stammered. "It was shot."

His eyes stared blankly but the memory was strong.

"Yes, Tony," confirmed Gibbs. "Some kids were mucking around in their pickup, taking shots at anything that moved."

Although the words were spoken with an air of indifference, Jenny easily sensed the anger behind the tone.

When Tony hasn't returned, they had initially thought he was just stalling, clowning around and fulfilling their earlier joking about his being easily distracted. But, when the clear sound of a gunshot rang out through the night, Gibbs had flown from the camper, fear and panic rendering him inconsolable.

His frantic yells has brought Bill running from the comfort of his lounge room. As Gibbs garbled something about his son being missing, a second shot had pierced the silence.

"Bloody kids!" Bill had cursed. "I've told them this area is out of bounds for spotlighting."

"What the hell's spotlighting?" Gibbs had yelled with irritated confusion.

"You know, kids in their utes, shooting at rabbits and foxes."

Bill had spoken as if this was common knowledge.

"Kids?" exclaimed Gibbs.

"Well, teenagers really," clarified Bill. "They do it all the time but I've told them to stay away from the camp ground. I guess being winter and off peak they thought it'd be OK?"

"My son's out there," yelled Gibbs.

"Don't worry mate," reassured Bill. "They won't hurt him. Despite their ages, those kids have been handling guns since they were little tackers. They rarely miss and are only shooting vermin."

Gibbs had wanted to scream then, put his hands around this man's neck and shake him until his teeth rattled. Didn't he know what his son had just been through? Didn't he understand the trauma his family were trying to overcome? But, no, of course he didn't. He had no idea.

"I've got find him," Gibbs had said instead. "Now!"

"Sure thing," replied Bill, his casual attitude aggravating Gibbs to no end."I'll grab a torch and come with ya."

They had been gone for over an hour and Jenny's worry had reached fever pitch. Having Abby and Tim pacing around her, alternating between uttered reassurances and panicked worry, certainly hadn't helped. Her only consolation was the fact Ziva had remained sound asleep.

As Gibbs had carried Tony through the camper door, her relief had been indescribable. Listening as Gibbs' thanked Bill for his help, she'd watched as Tony was placed gently on the bed, his arms tightly clutching what had looked like a dead rabbit. She had soon discovered her assumption had been correct as the young boy had held out the lifeless creature and demanded she 'fix' it.

Tony frowned, taking in Gibbs' words.

"They were chasing me," he said. "The lights from their car were following me and I didn't know what to do."

"Tony…" Gibbs voice was low and reassuring. "They weren't chasing you. They were targeting rabbits and foxes, not you."

"But… their car lights," stammered Tony. "I was scared. I didn't want to come back here because then they would get you," he looked at Gibbs before turning his gaze on Jenny. "And you," he added. "I thought, if I ran in the opposite direction it would take them away. But I tripped and dropped the flashlight and didn't know where I was."

Tony straightened and looked directly at Gibbs.

"I lost the flashlight," he said, his voice filled with concern. "I left it in the bush somewhere."

"It doesn't matter Tony," said Gibbs. "We can get another one. All that matters is that you're safe."

"I…I heard the shot," continued Tony, as if Gibbs hadn't even spoken. "I heard it hit the rabbit."

He looked down at the small animal, the grey fur now listless and dull.

"It's dead isn't it."

The words were uttered as a statement rather than a question but Jenny answered it anyway.

"Yes, Honey, the rabbit's dead."

"It happened so quickly," continued Tony. "He didn't stand a chance. He had no way of running or dodging out of the way. The bullet just…. Just hit him."

A reassuring hand rubbed his back and Tony turned his eyes to Gibbs.

"Is this what it was like for Senior?"

Unprepared for the question, Gibbs reeled back, unsure of what to say. It was Jenny who spoke.

"I think so, Honey," she said gently. "From what we were told, Senior was killed instantly. He didn't suffer."

Silence followed her words as Tony took in their meaning.

He looked down at the rabbit.

"Why did they kill it?" he asked.

"I don't know Bud," replied Gibbs. "Bill said they're considered a pest around here. They eat the crops and dig up the land; they destroy the homes of the native animals. Apparently it's quite common for people to shoot them to keep down the populations."

Gibbs paused as Tony mulled over the words he'd just heard.

"So…. Someone just decides it has to die?" he asked.

"I guess," replied Gibbs.

Tony slowly shook his head.

"That's not right," he said quietly. "No one should be allowed to decide whether something lives or dies. The rabbit may have been doing the wrong thing. It may not have been a good rabbit. Maybe it didn't look after its family well, maybe it didn't care about others…. But it didn't deserve to die."

Jenny and Gibbs nodded their heads at Tony's words. Both knew the young boy was no longer speaking about the rabbit and, in the silence that followed, they also knew Tony was trying to understand far more than just the death of a small creature.

"I still loved him."

The words were barely audible but Jenny and Gibbs heard them none the less.

"I hated him," clarified Tony, "but I still loved him."

Gibbs nodded.

"I know," he said simply.

"But, how can that be?" asked Tony, genuinely confused. "How can you hate someone and yet love them at the same time. It doesn't make sense."

"It doesn't have to make sense, Tony," said Gibbs. "Your feelings are just that - yours. Whether they make sense or not, you can't help the way you feel. Your Dad…"

"Senior," interrupted Tony.

"Your Dad," repeated Gibbs. "He was still your father, regardless of how you felt about him. He made it possible for you to exist and that's something for which I will always be grateful. I didn't like him either Tony, but he helped create you. And you are an amazing person. Despite who he became, your Dad got something right."

Tony looked down at the rabbit in his arms.

"Can we bury him tomorrow?"

"Of course," replied Jenny. "We'll go into the bush and find a really nice spot to lay him to rest."

Tony nodded. Then, very slowly, he held out the rabbit for Jenny to take.

"He's cold. Can we wrap him in a blanket?"

Standing, Gibbs went over to the cupboard he and Jenny shared. Taking something out, he returned to the bed.

"We don't have a spare blanket Tony, but I can wrap him in this."

Looking up, Tony saw a familiar, faded sweatshirt in his Dad's hands.

He smiled.

"I think he'd like that shirt," said Tony.

"Me too Bud," replied Gibbs. "Me too."

Taking the rabbit from Jenny's arms, Gibbs wrapped it gently in the soft, navy material.

"Do you want to put him in the annex, or shall I?" asked Gibbs.

"I'll do it," replied Tony, standing up and taking the wrapped bundle.

When he returned a minute later, he saw Jenny has laid out some clean pyjamas on the bed.

"Let's get you under a warm shower and clean you up a bit," she said cheerfully. "Then I think we might all have some hot chocolate before we go to bed."

Tony nodded.

Pulling off his pajama shirt and tossing it on the floor, he headed to the small bathroom.

"Hey, while I drink my hot chocolate," he began, the familiar glint of mischief returning to his eyes. "Can I watch the end of Raider's of the Lost Ark?"

Shaking her head in disbelief, Jenny snorted with laughter.

"I guess so," she replied, picking up the discarded pajama shirt.

"Yes!" he exclaimed, punching the air with his fist. "I knew I'd get to watch it."

Balling up the shirt in her hands, Jenny tossed it in Tony's direction, watching as it hit the closing door and slumped to the floor.

She felt Gibbs' arms wrap around her as he held her in a tight embrace.

Nuzzling her head in his chest, she murmured softly.

"You were right earlier."

Gibbs' questioning frown made her smile.

"When you said everything was going to be OK? You were right. I think tonight we are one step closer to healing."

Gibbs tightened his hold and kissed the soft red strands on the top of Jenny's head.

"Every day is a step closer Hun," he said gently, stroking his thumb along her cheek bone. "Only some days are more obvious than others."

Lifting her head, she captured his lips in hers and kissed him deeply. When they finally pulled apart, both slightly breathless from the lack of air, Gibbs smiled down at her.

"Love you," he said earnestly.

"Love you too," she replied, brushing her hand over his cheek.

Leaving Gibbs standing in the bedroom, Jenny made her way into the kitchen area and flicked on the kettle.

Taking down five mugs, she rested her hands on the counter she took a deep, cleansing breath.

Tony had taken a huge step tonight towards accepting and dealing with his father's death. The challenges would continue but, for the time being, with her family safe and happy, all was right in Jenny's world and it was her plan to keep it that way.


	9. Trouble Brewing

**A big thank you to those of you who have reviewed and/or sent PMs. I really appreciate it.**

 **Edited to add -apparently due to the rewrites it won't let many of you review again. Sorry about that. It does let you review as 'guest' if you want. Please feel free to do so, as your reviews keep me inspired. You can write your 'log in' name manually if you wish. Again, apologies. Next chapter should be back on track.**

Chapter 9 - Trouble Brewing

"Hurry up Ziva, or Tim and I will go without you," yelled Tony, poking his head inside the annex door.

"No Tony, hang on!"

Tony sighed. He'd spent the last three minutes waiting for Ziva while the little girl searched frantically around the annex trying to find the second sock she had somehow managed to misplace. With Tim already half way down the road, the boy's impatience was quickly mounting.

"I'll just wear another pair," said Ziva when, after another minute, the missing sock refused to be located.

"That doesn't solve the problem, Ziva," replied Gibbs. "You had the sock earlier when you got dressed. Why did you take them off?"

"Cause we were playing Twister and socks make you slip."

Suddenly stopping in mid search, Ziva threw her arms in the air.

"I can't find it," she announced with frustration. "Someone must have taken it."

Gibbs raised one eyebrow.

"Why would somebody want to take your sock?" he asked incredulously.

"To annoy me!" she replied indignantly. "And it's working!"

Suppressing a strong desire to laugh, Gibbs turned his head and began looking for the sock under a pile of papers carelessly strewn on the floor. He suddenly spied something red.

"Is this it?" he called, holding up a single red sock.

"Yes!" squealed Ziva, running to him and reaching out to grab the sock.

Shaking his head in exasperation, Gibbs held it out to her.

"Thank you Daddy!' she exclaimed, taking the sock gleefully.

Managing to put the sock and her shoes on in record time, Gibbs watched as both children ran out of the annex, leaving the canvas door flapping in their wake.

Stepping into the camper he acknowledged Abby with a brief nod of his head. She was sat at the table, bent over her phone, intently studying something she had found. Figuring Jenny must be in the bedroom, he made his way along the small passageway and into the room they shared. He smiled when he saw her sprawled, face down, across the bed.

Lying down next to her, Gibbs placed a gentle hand on her back.

"Did she find it?" asked Jenny groggily, her face turned away from him.

Gibbs frowned.

"Hey?" he asked softly.

Jenny inhaled deeply before rolling over to face to him.

"Ziva," she replied, her voice still thick with sleep. "Did she find whatever it was she was looking for?"

"Oh," said Gibbs, realisation dawning. "Yeah, she did."

"What was it?"

"Her sock," replied Gibbs with a roll of his eyes.

Propping up her head on one elbow, Jenny traced her finger along Gibbs' cheek.

"How was Tony?" she asked.

Gibbs sighed and rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling.

"Ah, I don't know Jen," he replied, somewhat frustrated. "It's like last night didn't even happen. He hasn't said a word this morning. I spoke to him about burying the rabbit and he just shrugged and said 'whatever'.

"Hmmm," agreed Jenny. "Pretty much the same response I got at breakfast."

She placed her head on Gibbs chest and closed her eyes.

"I guess he'll talk about it when he's ready," she added, stifling a yawn.

Gibbs ran his fingers through her hair.

"Did you get any sleep?" he asked.

"A little," she replied.

She yawned deeply before continuing. "I don't how you do it. We were up until after two with Tony then Ziva was awake at six. It took all my strength just to get up for breakfast. I was wiped out again by nine."

Gibbs laughed softly.

"Military training," he said simply. "That and I'm not trying to recover from some virus or something."

He gently coaxed her head up so she could look at him.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, his blue eyes penetrating her deeply giving her the distinct impression he wouldn't be satisfied with a simple 'I'm fine'.

She smiled and kissed him lightly on the lips before plopping her head back on his chest.

"Just tired," she replied.

"Headache?" His voice reverberated through his chest.

"A little. It's pretty good this morning. I just feel a bit fuzzy in the head. The worst part is this tiredness. All I want to do is sleep."

She yawned again as if to prove the point.

Gibbs lifted her shirt and slid his hand underneath, gently scratching along her back.

"Mmmm," she murmured. "That's nice."

"However," she continued after a few minutes of silence, "If you continue that I'll end up asleep again and I really should get up."

"Why?" asked Gibbs. "Tony and Ziva are with Tim, Abby's got her head buried in the phone. Just close your eyes and let your body rest."

"But…"

"No buts!" he growled softly.

She sighed, slightly frustrated, but the feel of his hand gently scratching along her back was too relaxing to really warrant much of an argument. Closing her eyes, Jenny felt her body, once again, slowly succumb to sleep.

****NCIS****

"Come on Timmy! Here it is!"

Racing ahead towards the trampolines lined along the shore front, Ziva gave a quick glance back to make sure Tim was following.

As she reached the boundary fence, she gripped the wire and began to shake it impatiently, the sound echoing loudly.

"Ziva!" admonished Tim, finally coming up behind the little girl. "Don't rattle the fence."

Ignoring him completely, Ziva grabbed his arm and literally dragged him towards the gate.

"I need two dollars," she demanded, holding out her palm.

Tim looked at her with a decidedly stern expression.

"Please?" she added for good measure.

Reading the information sign, Tim turned to Tony.

"Did you want a turn as well?"

"Sure," said Tony, his casual shrug belying the excitement in his eyes.

Digging into his pocket, Tim drew out a pink five dollar note. Looking around for someone in charge, he finally spotted an older gentleman sitting at table reading a newspaper. If it wasn't for the sign that read, 'Trampolines - $2 for 20 mins' he would have been hard pressed to know who to give the money to.

Taking the money and handing Tim a dollar coin for change, the man nodded towards the in-ground trampolines and said in a monotone voice, "Shoes and socks off, one child per trampoline and no bouncing from one trampoline to the next."

Tim looked at Tony and Ziva.

"Got that?" he asked.

As both children nodded their heads in understanding, the older man indicated, with a jerk of his head, that the children were free to enter the trampoline area.

Getting the go-ahead, Tony and Ziva walked through the gate.

There were 8 jumping nets, set out in two rows of four. Each blue trampoline was stretched out over a hole in the ground, enabling them to be stepped on without needing to climb anything. Each one was a reasonable size, about 12ft x 8ft, giving the occupant plenty of room to bounce around and practice various tricks and tumbles without fear of landing unexpectedly on the grass.

Noting two trampolines were already in use, Tony and Ziva made their way to the other end and chose nets that were next to each other. Following behind them, Tim found a bench between the two trampolines and, taking a seat, pulled out his phone fully intended to fill his time playing the latest game app he had downloaded that morning.

He was forced to look up suddenly when, out of the corner of his eye, he saw something red flash before his eyes. Seeing it was Ziva's sock, he looked sternly at the little girl.

"Ziva, that's the whole reason we were late in the first place," began Tim patiently. "Don't just fling your shoes and socks anywhere. Sit down and take them off properly then bring them over here for me to keep an eye on them."

Already on the trampoline, Ziva chose, once again, to ignore Tim.

"Ziva!" called Tim again, this time with more emphasis.

"I'm already on the trampoline," whined the little girl. "Can't you just pick them up for me?"

Exhaling a heavy sigh, Tim was about to comply when Gibbs' words echoed in his memory.

 _"If you let her think she's got the best of you, you'll never get control of her. It's up to you as the adult to step up and do what needs to be done to ensure she obeys you."_

Mustering all his strength, Tim stood up and stepped towards the trampoline.

"Ziva," he said sternly. "You need to get off the trampoline and collect your socks and shoes."

As Ziva continued to bounce, Tim felt annoyance rise to the surface.

"Ziva!" he called crossly.

When she finally stopped bouncing, she looked at him questioningly.

"What?" she asked, throwing her arms in the air.

"I told you to pick up your shoes and socks and bring them over to me. Either do as you're told or you can get off the trampoline for a five minute timeout."

Furrowing her brows, Ziva eyed Tim suspiciously. He could almost hear her mind arguing with herself, wondering whether he meant what he said. As if to confirm her thoughts he added, "I mean it Ziva. You have to the count of three or I'm dragging you off that trampoline for a time out."

Crossing her arms over her chest, Ziva frowned.

"Why are you being so mean?" she demanded grumpily.

"I'm not being mean," replied Tim calmly. "I've asked you to do something and I expect you to do it."

When she continued to stare at him with no intention of moving, Tim began counting.

"One…"

Narrowing her eyes, Ziva stood her ground. Fortunately, so did Tim.

"Two..."

Tim waited, allowing a much longer paused than he knew Gibbs would. Finally, realising Ziva was not going to move he said, "Three."

Stepping towards the stubborn little girl, Tim could see her eyes widen in surprise. Not giving her a chance to escape, he walked straight onto the trampoline, snaked his arm around her waist and immediately stepped back onto the firm ground.

In the seconds it took for Ziva to comprehend what had just happened, Tim had successfully managed to carry her to the bench.

"Sit," he ordered, putting her down onto the seat. "You've got five minutes.

Pulling out of his grasp, Ziva stood in front of him and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Fine," replied Tim, his voice surprisingly calm. "You can stand if you want. But you've still got five minutes before you get back on the trampoline."

Keeping her eyes fixed on Tim, Ziva pursed her lips and took a small step back towards the trampolines, her expression daring him to react.

"Ziva, if you take one more step, I will take you straight back to the camper and you can explain to Dad why we've returned early. It's your choice."

He didn't miss the small flicker of panic which crossed her face at the mention of facing her Dad. It didn't last for long however before she was once again giving him the death stare.

Happy to ignore this so long as she stayed put, Tim casually pulled his phone from his pocket and set the timer to five minutes. Placing it on the bench next to him, enabling the little girl to see the numbers counting down, Tim distracted himself by watching Tony.

"Hey! Good one Tony!" he called when Tony made an attempt at a backward somersault.

"Pfft!" snorted Ziva, rolling her eyes. "I can do that much better."

Tim levelled her with a stern glare before turning away again and focusing on Tony.

As the numbers counted down the final ten seconds, Tim spoke once again.

"When this gets to zero, I want you to pick up your shoes and socks and bring them to me. If you refuse again, we are going straight back to the camper."

As he finished speaking, the counter reached zero. Wordlessly, Ziva spun around and, with her arms still crossed over her chest, hunted down her shoes and socks. Once collected, she stomped back to the bench and slammed them down in front of him. Deciding this wasn't the time to embark on a new battle, Tim simply ignored the attitude.

"Thank you," he said cheerfully. "Now you may go and play on the trampoline."

Giving him a look that would surely have seen him dead had she the power, Ziva tossed her head in the air before spinning on her heel and marching back to the vacant trampoline.

Watching her stalk away, Tim exhaled the breath he felt he'd been holding since he'd first confronted her. Relieved she had actually obeyed him, albeit with some attitude, Tim felt a tinge of self pride for persevering. He felt like he'd just gone a round in the ring with Gibbs and hadn't landed flat on his back. With an air of confidence rarely felt, Tim picked up his phone and returned to the game he'd started playing earlier.

Ziva, however, did not resume her earlier mood. Annoyed with herself for giving in to Tim's demands and furious with Tim for demanding in the first place, Ziva found herself becoming more and more angry with each jump on the trampoline. Why had she given in so easily, she admonished. Abba would have been furious with her. Hadn't he taught her surrender was the ultimate form of weakness? But Abba was dead, she argued. What did it matter? It mattered, she told her herself, because she had been taught to be stronger than that.

With each jump, Ziva's thoughts became more and more self deprecating. Had her nearly two years of training with Abba been for nothing? Frowning she tried to cast her mind back to her days with Ari but her inability to see it clearly, to remember the skills she had been taught and the lessons she had learned, only sought to frustrate and anger her further. She was becoming soft. Her body was weak and her mind even weaker. How had she allowed this to happen?

Suddenly remembering the day Grandpa Jack had bested her with the knife before turning her over his knee and spanking her soundly, Ziva felt a cold rush of panic settle over her. No wonder Abba had tried to kill her, she chided angrily. She was nothing but a disappointment to him. She had failed in her mission to run away from the cabin, she had failed to stand strong and fight her grandpa with the knife. But, worst of all, when she had stood at the top of the stairs and faced the gun her Abba had pointed at her, she had failed to defend herself. The only reason she was alive today was not because she had stood bravely and fought for her survival. The only reason she was alive was because Tim had stepped in and killed Abba for her. That had been her duty, her mission, her right… but she had failed.

Ziva stopped bouncing and stood stock still, rooted to the spot by her own sudden understanding.

Failure.

As the word echoed around her head, one thought rose to the surface. She had failed one father, she was not about to fail the other.

She would show him strength and perseverance, courage and fearlessness. She would prove she was worthy of his love and pride. And so, with a determination she'd not felt since planning her escape from the cabin, Ziva set out to accomplish a new mission. A mission that would see her renew her old training, conquer her old fears and ultimately succeed in winning her Daddy's approval.

And, this time, she would not fail.

****NCIS****

Walking into the small bedroom, Gibbs found Tony lying face down on Tim's bed. The boy's face was furrowed in concentration as his fingers furiously pressed the buttons on the DS. Gibbs waited patiently, watching as Tony easily completed yet another level, before he touched the boy's shoulder, gaining his attention.

"What?" asked Tony, pausing the game and looking up.

"Time's up, Bud," said Gibbs quietly.

"What!" Tony repeated, only this time the word was said in disbelief.

Pointing to the timer on his watch, Gibbs waited while Tony scrutinized then, eventually, accepted the time.

"It's not fair," he complained loudly, scrambling to a sitting position. "One hour isn't long enough."

"One hour is plenty long enough," replied Gibbs firmly, taking the DS from Tony's hand.

"For you maybe!" Tony crossed his arms and pouted. "Why can't I have two hours?"

"Would you rather thirty minutes?" retorted Gibbs coolly.

Tony scowled.

"And why do you always say that?" he demanded angrily. "You know the answer."

"As do you," replied Gibbs, the raised eyebrow reminding Tony he was stepping close to the line.

Wanting desperately to roll his eyes and argue further, Tony summoned all his self control and let out a small huff instead. He didn't want to lose his DS altogether.

"We need to bury the rabbit," began Gibbs, effectively changing the subject away from the controversial DS. "Mom and I wondered where you would like to put him."

Tony shrugged.

"I don't know."

"Well, how about you come with us and pick a spot?" suggested Gibbs.

Not giving the boy chance to refuse, Gibbs took Tony's arm and tugged him to his feet.

"Come on," he coaxed, leading the way out of the camper.

As Tony reluctantly followed behind his family as they trudged their way through the heavy undergrowth of the bush, he felt himself blushing, once again, with the embarrassment of how he'd behaved last night. He couldn't understand why the gun shots had affected him so much. He'd acted like a baby, running into the bush and hiding. He was eleven years old, he reminded himself, far too old to be blubbering over a dead rabbit.

But he couldn't shake the uneasiness that returned each time he thought about last night. He had felt better admitting his feelings about Senior but it was as if something else was nagging at him to be released. He just couldn't work out what.

"What about here?" asked Jenny.

They had reached a small clearing where a large mossy rock stood sentinel to a section of ground covered in tiny purple flowers.

Tony nodded.

"Sure," he said, shrugging nonchalantly.

Thrusting the shovel into the ground, Gibbs began to dig while Jenny, who'd been holding the wrapped body of the rabbit, placed the bundle on the ground.

Without hesitation, Ziva stepped forward and pulled aside the navy sweatshirt, revealing the dead rabbit. The glassy eyes stared fixedly ahead making Abby reel back in horror.

"Ziva!" admonished Jenny, surprised by the child's actions. "Why did you do that?"

"I wanted to see it," replied Ziva matter-of-factly. "It doesn't even look injured."

"Ziva, it has a gaping hole in its head," rebuked Abby, unable to hide her disdain.

"Yes, but not like Abba," argued Ziva. "He had half his head missing. Remember?"

She turned to Tony who nodded in agreement.

"Although," she added thoughtfully. "Your father looked a bit like this…except he had the hole filled in."

"Ziva," rebuked Jenny softly. "That's enough. Please cover up the rabbit."

Watching Ziva shrug impassively then replace the sweatshirt, Jenny was concerned by the little girl's sudden change in attitude. Since returning with Tim and Tony, Ziva had been distant and aloof. She'd hardly spoken to anyone and, when asked if she were OK, had simply nodded her head and walked away.

Her thoughts were interrupted when the shovel Gibbs had been digging with, landed on the ground with a small thud.

"OK, I think that's deep enough."

Gibbs turned to Tony.

"Would you like to place the rabbit in the hole?"

In reply, Tony bent down and gently lifted the rabbit in his arms. Stepping forward, he placed it carefully into the grave before stepping back and looking at Gibbs.

"Did you want to say anything?" asked Gibbs.

Tony shook his head.

Nodding wordlessly, Gibbs picked up the discarded shovel and began refilling the hole. As he patted down the last scoop of dirt, Abby placed a scattering of purple flowers on the small mound.

"There," she said, standing back and staring at the fresh grave. "Now he can rest in peace."

"Thanks Abby," said Tony, smiling at his sister.

Putting her arm around his shoulder, Abby gave a quick squeeze before kissing him gently on the head.

"You're welcome Tony," she replied.

With the task complete, the family began the short walk back to the camper.

"Tony, did you see the boys with the guns?" asked Ziva, her voice breaking into the comfortable silence.

"Kind of," replied Tony. "But not really. They were in a pick-up and the head lights were really bright."

"Did you chase them down?"

"No."

Gibbs frowned, curious as to where Ziva's questioning was leading.

"Why not?" she asked.

"Because…" Tony paused, unwilling to admit out loud he'd been terrified. He already felt foolish and, in the clear light of day, admitting he'd hid behind a tree seemed cowardly and childish.

"Because why?" insisted Ziva.

"Ziva," cautioned Gibbs. "Why are you asking?"

Ziva focused her attention on Gibbs.

"I want to know what he did?" she clarified. "Abba taught me and Ari that we should find a spot to hide…"

"I did," said Tony, not realizing Ziva hadn't finished her sentence.

"Where?" she asked.

"Behind a tree," replied Tony.

"That's no good," she scoffed knowingly. "You have to get up high."

"These trees aren't exactly easy to climb, Ziva," retorted Tony with annoyance.

"I could do it," she replied airily.

Tony rolled his eyes.

"Could not," he argued. "Besides, it all happened so quickly. I didn't have time. And anyway," he added. "Why would you waste time climbing _up_ a tree? If you're spotted, you've got nowhere to run."

"Run?" she said in confusion. "Why would you run? You hide in the tree so you can attack the enemy when they walk underneath."

There was a brief pause as Ziva processed Tony's earlier words.

"Were you scared?" she asked accusatorially.

When Tony didn't reply, she continued.

"Being afraid doesn't stop the enemy from killing you. You have to outsmart them. Abba told me and Ari to hide in a tree so we could jump on our enemy and kill them before they killed us."

"Ziva," interrupted Gibbs.

Not liking the tone of the conversation, he felt it was time to put an end to it.

"Tony was faced with a situation he had no control over. Those boys had guns and he had no idea what they planned to do. Hiding out of sight was the most sensible thing he could have done."

"But..." began Ziva

"No buts Ziva," continued Gibbs. "Tony did the right thing. I'm very proud of him."

"You would be prouder if he'd fought them and won," argued Ziva.

Gibbs stopped walking and took hold of Ziva's shoulders. Crouching down to her level, he stared at her pointedly.

"No, I wouldn't. Taking on those boys would have been foolish and dangerous."

To further consolidate his words, he repeated, "Tony did the right thing."

Staring mutinously, Ziva refused to back down.

"Well, I would have fought," she muttered defiantly.

"And you may have died," replied Gibbs bluntly.

"I'd rather die being brave than live as scaredy cat."

The sound of breaking twigs filled the air as Tony suddenly broke into a run towards the camping ground.

Sensing a serious conversation was due, Abby pulled on Tim's arm.

"Come on Timmy. Let's get back and see if Tony's OK."

Looking on gratefully, Gibbs smiled and nodded as Abby made eye contact with him before she and Tim quickened their pace and left Jenny, Ziva and Gibbs alone.

"What's going on Ziva?" asked Gibbs, frowning at the little girl.

"What do you mean?" replied Ziva

Despite her offhand attitude, a tinge of guilt had crept into her conscience. She hadn't missed the gasped sob from Tony just before he'd run off.

"I mean the way you just implied Tony was a coward," said Gibbs, coming straight to the point.

Ziva had the good grace to look slightly abashed as she bowed her head.

"I didn't mean to say he was a coward," she began softly, her voice aimed towards her shoes. "I was just saying what Ari and I were taught to do."

"And what's with all this sudden talk about Abba again?" asked Gibbs.

Ziva shrugged.

"I was just thinking about some of the things he taught me."

"Ziva," began Jenny gently, putting her hand on the little girl's shoulder. "Some of the things your Abba taught you weren't very helpful. In fact, some of them were very dangerous."

There was a paused before Ziva said very quietly, "They were only dangerous if you failed."

Unsure of how to respond, Gibbs and Jenny exchanged a futile look. Once she'd set her mind to something, Ziva could be almost impossible to sway.

"Well, that aside," began Gibbs sternly. "You owe Tony an apology. He had a terrible time last night and he doesn't need you making it worse by calling him a coward."

"I didn't call him a coward," argued Ziva.

"You called him a scaredy cat, Ziva. Same thing," retorted Gibbs.

"How would you feel if Tony did the same to you?" asked Jenny.

"He wouldn't," replied Ziva. "Because I wouldn't have hid. I would have faced them."

"That's enough!" growled Gibbs.

He wasn't about to get into an argument with her regarding what she may or may not have done.

"The fact is, you hurt Tony's feelings," continued Gibbs. "And for that you owe him an apology. I'm surprised I even have to have this conversation with you, young lady."

Once again, Ziva bowed her head.

"Yes Daddy," she replied, her voice small and tinged with shame.

Straightening his back, Gibbs stood to his full height and watched as Ziva trudged off towards the camp ground in search of Tony.

Taking Jenny's hand, the two of them followed a short distance behind.

"What's got into her?" asked Jenny, once she was sure Ziva was out of ear shot. "Since returning from the trampolines this afternoon she's been behaving very strangely."

"I don't know," replied Gibbs. "And I don't like this renewed talk about 'Abba' and 'training' etcetera. I thought we'd moved past all that."

"Obviously not."

They walked a short way in silence before Jenny spoke again.

"To be honest, I'm surprised we haven't had more of a fall-out from the shooting from Ziva considering what she went through. Having your father point a gun directly at you and then watch as half his head is blown away in front of your eyes is pretty traumatic. At least Tony was spared the actual scenes that took place. "

"Hmmm," replied Gibbs. "They've both been through more than any child ever should. I guess it's gonna take some time."

Jenny nodded.

"For all of us," she murmured.

Gibbs glanced at her. The words had been spoken so quietly, he wondered if she'd meant to say them aloud. He squeezed her hand.

"We'll get there hun," he said tenderly, leaning in and kissing her temple.

He watched as Jenny nodded.

Stepping into the camper, Gibbs looked around for Tony and Ziva. Turning to Abby, who was sitting at the table reading, he asked, "Where are the kids?"

Abby looked up.

"They were just outside the annex," she replied. "Ziva was apologizing to Tony."

"Good," said Gibbs, reaching up and taking down two mugs from the cupboard.

"Coffee?" he asked Jenny.

When there was no reply, he looked around. Seeing Jenny peering out the annex door, he called again.

"Jen, coffee?"

"Um, yeah, thanks," she replied distractedly.

As Gibbs set the mugs down on the counter, Jenny slid into the bench seat behind the table.

"They're not outside," she said frowning slightly. "Well, not that I could see."

Having poured the coffees, Gibbs put one mug on the table in front of Jenny while he leaned against the countertop and took a sip from his own mug.

"Ziva's probably taken him away from the camper to apologize. You know what she's like."

"Yeah, true," replied Jenny.

Picking up her own mug, she glanced at the digital clock on the microwave. It was 4.38pm.

"I'll have this then start thinking about dinner," she said taking a sip. "Burgers OK?"

As Gibbs nodded, Abby said, "That'll bring 'em out of hiding. There's nothing like the smell of a barbecue to entice people home."

But, an hour later, as the sun began its slow descent, neither child had returned. Gibbs looked on worriedly as Tim returned alone from having searched the playground.

"Not there," he called, as soon as he was in hearing distance.

"They're not in the games room either," panted Abby, appearing from the other direction.

"Where are they?" asked Jenny, turning to Gibbs, panic evident in her eyes.

Taking a couple of long strides towards the bush path they had walked along earlier that afternoon, Gibbs cupped his hands around his mouth and called loudly, "Tony! Ziva!"

With no answering call, he turned to the others.

"I'm sure they've just wandered off and forgotten the time."

"But it's getting dark," replied Jenny. "They know to be home before now."

Gibbs checked his watch; 5.52pm.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, he stepped back into the annex, re-emerging almost immediately with a flashlight in hand.

"I'm going to go look for them," he announced.

"I'll come with you," said Tim, "I'll just grab another flashlight."

As Tim disappeared into the annex, Gibbs turned to Jenny.

"You and Abby stay here in case they return. Call me if they do."

Nodding, Jenny chewed her lip nervously.

"I hope they're not hurt," she whispered, more as a prayer than a statement.

"Well, if they're not, they soon will be," replied Gibbs grimly. "They know better than this. Both of them!"

As Tim exited the annex with the second flashlight, Gibbs gave Jenny a quick kiss.

"Don't worry hun," he said, wishing he felt as confident as he sounded. "We'll find them. They can't be too far away."

Smiling weakly, Jenny nodded once again.

With a sick feeling of déjà vu, the two women watched as Gibbs and Tim trudged into the surrounding bush just as the sun gave up its last breath and disappeared behind the distant hills.


	10. Misguided Miscreants

**Thanks again to those who reviewed the last chapter. The Chapters are back on track so you'll be able to log in again to review.**

Chapter 10 - Misguided Miscreants

 _Two hours earlier_

Finding Tony leaning against the camper, Ziva tentatively walked up to him. Her approach was halted when Tony suddenly turned his back on her and attempted to walk away.

"Tony," she called. "Please don't go."

He hesitated just long enough for her to reach his side.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice small and sincere.

He didn't respond but neither did he walk away. Ziva saw this as a good sign to continue.

"I didn't mean to call you a scaredy cat, I just…"

"But you're right, I am a scaredy cat," interrupted Tony fiercely. "I heard the gun shots and I just freaked. I didn't know what to do so I hid."

Not knowing what to say, Ziva remained silent and allowed Tony to continue.

He turned to her.

"I didn't hide at first. I tried to lead them away from the camper, away from Dad, Mom and you."

He paused long enough to angrily brush away a stray tear that had escaped.

"Dad said they weren't even after me. They were hunting rabbits and foxes."

"So why did you run?" asked Ziva.

"Because I didn't know that!" replied Tony angrily. "I don't know what happened. I heard the first gunshot and my mind went back to the shooting at the house. I got confused and thought they were coming after all of us so all I could think of was to lead them away from everyone."

"Then you weren't a scaredy cat at all," said Ziva.

She touched his arm and tried to make eye contact but Tony's gaze was focused on his feet.

"Tony," she said, trying to gain his attention.

When he finally looked at her, tears glistening in his eyes, she continued. "You were very brave. You risked your life to save all of us."

He looked away again.

"But I wasn't Ziva. They weren't even after me. I was… I was an idiot."

"No you weren't," she argued. "You thought they were going to hurt us so you did something to try and protect us and that's…"

"But then I hid!" he interrupted once again. "I took the cowards way out and hid behind a tree."

Ziva lowered her head. Once again, finding herself unsure of what to say, she remained silent.

Tony was the first to break the awkward silence.

"What would you have done?"

Looking at him, Ziva thought carefully before she spoke.

"Well, Abba said that if we were ever in a situation like that, we should climb high, either a tree or a building or something that would give us an advantage over the enemy."

Her words were spoken as if memorised from constant hearing.

"Then," she continued. "When the enemy is close enough, you surprise them with an attack. It's the only chance of being able to win."

Tony nodded, listening carefully to everything she said. He knew she'd been trained before coming to live with them and, although she hadn't spoken much about her past in recent weeks, he knew her skills of survival were far better than his.

"Can…can you teach me?" His question was tentative almost as if he were afraid she'd say no or laugh at him.

"Of course!" she replied excitedly. "I would love to teach you. Ari used to teach me and I can teach you. It'll be fun."

Not sure if 'fun' was really the right word to use, Tony nodded nonetheless.

"So," she began confidently, pacing around the area where Tony stood. "First things first. I need to teach you how to climb a tree."

"I can climb a tree," retorted Tony indignantly. "I've climbed heaps of trees."

"Ones like this?" asked Ziva.

She pointed to a nearby gum. Its trunk was tall and thin with very few places where one could get a good foothold.

"Well…no," replied Tony sulkily. "But then no one could climb that!"

"I could."

Her response was confident and sure leaving no doubt in Tony's mind that she spoke the truth.

"But it's about thirty feet before you reach the first branch," scoffed Tony. "How on earth can you do that?"

"You swarm it," replied Ziva.

When Tony looked at her quizzically, she grinned. There was an unmistakable twinkle of mischief in her eye and Tony suddenly wondered if this was such a good idea after all. However, with the thought of last night still fresh in his memory, he pushed aside any misgivings and allowed her to lead him into the bush.

"OK," she began confidently. "You need to find a tree which is fairly thin. The thinner they are, the easier it is to swarm. Unless you have a rope or something, which we don't."

Stopping, Ziva looked around. Seeing what she wanted in the distance, she took Tony's hand and led him further into the bush. Tony blindly walked beside her, watching each tree as it was examined and discarded, apparently not meeting whatever expectation Ziva held for it.

Finally she stopped in front of a tall white trunk. It was about thirty inches in diameter and it towered above for at least one hundred feet. Tony gazed upward, noting that the first branch was about twenty feet above the ground.

"This is perfect," exclaimed Ziva, patting the tree appreciatively.

Tony raised his eyebrows wondering, not for the first time in the last fifteen minutes whether he was doing the right thing.

"Um…" he began tentatively."Are you sure this is safe? I mean, you know how Dad gets if we put ourselves in danger?"

Just the thought of his Dad was making his backside tingle in a most unpleasant way.

"Do you want to learn or not?" demanded Ziva, her tone daring him to disagree.

"I guess," replied Tony with a sigh.

"Then stop worrying about what might happen," she continued with authority. "Besides, if we do this properly, Daddy won't ever know."

Knowing for certain that was a very foolish assumption to make, Tony pushed aside his feelings of doubt and readied himself for action.

"OK then," he muttered, swinging his arms around in an attempt to warm them up for the task they were about to undertake. "Show me what to do."

"Well," began Ziva, reminding Tony of his third grade teacher. "The first thing you need to do is anchor yourself to the trunk. If it's thin like this one, it's pretty easy."

She stepped up to the tree and placed her arms around it, as if giving it a hug.

"Then, pushing into the tree with your hands, you jump, bringing your feet either side of the trunk."

She demonstrated the move, looking more like a monkey than a little girl. With her knees bent and almost touching her face, Ziva continued.

"Now you just let your hands and feet take turns. Hold the trunk with your feet and step up with your hands."

She did so.

"Then, hold the trunk with your hands and step up with your feet."

Tony watched in amazement. She made it look so easy.

After two or three alternating moves, Ziva had climbed about eight foot. Looking down, she reversed the action once, using first her hands followed by her feet. Then, when she was about six foot from the ground, she pushed away from the tree landing lithely on the forest floor.

Brushing the dirt from her hands, she smiled at her brother.

"See, it's easy," she said, grinning broadly.

Tony rolled his eyes.

"Yeah," he replied with sarcasm. "Real easy."

Stepping away from the tree, Ziva looked at him encouragingly.

"Your turn," she said brightly.

Feeling as if he was about to see his lunch again, Tony nervously wiped his hands on his jeans. Taking a deep breath, he wrapped his arms around the tree.

After a few seconds of standing like this, Ziva frowned.

"You have to move your legs, Tony," she said, stating the obvious. "Otherwise you don't go anywhere."

"Yeah, I know!" replied Tony with frustration. "I'm just not sure how to go about it."

"Don't think about it too much," advised Ziva. "Just hold on tightly with your hands, step up with one foot and then the other."

Taking another deep breath, Tony did as she said. He was surprised when he suddenly realised he was hugging the tree with all four limbs.

"Hey I'm doing it," he exclaimed gleefully.

"Well, I guess," replied Ziva, a little less encouraging than Tony had hoped. "You're gonna have to do more than that though if you actually want to climb."

Rolling his eyes, Tony summoned all his strength and courage and tentatively placed his right hand higher along the branch. Without warning, his leg slipped out from under him and he felt his body slide down the tree, the rough bark scratching his palms.

"Ouch!" he hissed, grasping his right hand and surveying the damage.

Considering the sting in his palm he was surprised by the lack of blood.

"OK, try again," ordered Ziva.

Frowning at her, Tony ignored the bossy tone and made a second attempt to grasp the tree. He found it easier to get into the first position and, this time, when he moved his hand to a higher position he remembered to anchor his feet into the trunk. With both hands now higher up the tree, he secured his hold with the muscles in his arms and stepped up with his feet.

"Yay!" called Ziva, clapping her hands. "You did it!"

For the next hour Tony practiced diligently. Each time he slid down or fell to the ground, he would start again determined to conquer the skill. Despite the cuts and scratches that now adorned his arms and legs, he felt like he was achieving something.

At long last, after countless attempts, Tony finally made it to the first branch. Gripping it tightly, he hauled himself up and clambered into a sitting position.

"I did it!" he exclaimed joyfully.

Looking down, he was encouraged by the huge grin on Ziva's face.

He watched in awe as she placed her arms around the trunk and deftly climbed the tree, joining him in less than a minute.

"How do you do that so easily?" he asked in amazement.

"Just practise," she replied shrugging dismissively.

Tony looked around and admired the view.

"It's pretty amazing up here. You can see for miles."

Ziva nodded as she, too, scanned the horizon.

"So, how do you attack your enemy from up here?" asked Tony, looking down at the twenty foot drop. "You'd kill yourself jumping from this height."

"We only climbed this tree because it was an easy one to show you how to do it," replied Ziva. "If I needed to attack someone, I would probably choose…." She paused as she surveyed the forest. "That one."

Tony looked to where she pointed. A few yards away stood a tree, similar in height and appearance.

"Why that one?" asked Tony, unable to see much of a difference.

"Do you see how the trunk isn't as straight? About half way up, there is a section that sticks out a bit?

Tony squinted to get a better look.

"Yeah, I think so," he replied slowly, not totally convinced.

"Well, that bit makes all the difference," she explained. "It makes it easier to balance your body so you can wait until the enemy is directly underneath. Plus, it isn't so high up, so you can safely jump from that height without hurting yourself."

Tony gave her a wry look.

"If you say so," he said, highly doubtful he could jump from that height without causing some irreparable damage.

Ziva laughed.

"It's true," she said. "Come on and I'll show you."

Clambering off the branch, Ziva wrapped her arms and legs around the trunk and easily made her way to the bottom. Standing on the ground, she looked up.

"Are you coming?" she asked.

Tony stared at the ground. It wasn't that he was afraid of the height; he was just suddenly at a loss as to how he was going to get down. Much like a cat that has found itself caught on a high branch, the boy looked at the trunk and wondered how on earth he was going to get his body to wrap around its girth.

"Tony?" yelled Ziva. "What are you waiting for?"

"Um… how do I get down?" he called out to her.

"Just wrap your arms and legs around the trunk."

Tony gave her a withering look.

"Yeah, I figured that! But how do I do that without breaking my neck?"

Even from his current height, Tony didn't miss the exaggerated eye roll from Ziva.

"Hang on," she said, sound very much like a tired mother addressing a fussing toddler.

Making her way to the tree she, once again, swarmed it easily and was soon sitting on the branch next to Tony.

"OK," she began, "First you need to stand up."

She did so with confidence.

"Then, wrap your arms around the trunk like this… once you feel safe, stretch out one leg and then the other."

As soon as she was gripping the trunk tightly, she turned to Tony.

"Now, it's just a matter of using your arms and legs and kind of walking down the tree, like this."

He watched as she descended.

Feeling confident that he was capable of copying her movements, he shuffled closer to the trunk and, holding onto the tree for support, made an effort to stand. Despite the sudden weakness in his knees, Tony was soon standing upright and ready to take hold of the trunk.

Unfortunately, it was at that moment a magpie chose to fly just above his head causing Tony to duck quickly and lose his balance. Feeling his foot slip out from under him, he extended his arms in the hope of gripping something, anything, solid. Reaching out for the trunk, Tony's arms encircled it tightly while his legs hung precariously in the air.

"Tony!" screamed Ziva, terrified as she watched her brother's feet search frantically for something stable to stand on. "The branch is just near your left foot," she called.

Managing to comprehend what Ziva had said, Tony felt around with his left foot and thankfully found what he'd been searching for. With one foot now anchored on something solid, his other foot soon found the branch. His heart was beating so fast, Tony was sure it was about to gallop form his chest.

"Are you OK?" called Ziva, her voice frantic with worry.

"Yeah, I think so," croaked Tony.

A brief silence followed as both children collected their thoughts and steadied their nerves.

"Are you ready to try and come down?" called Ziva.

When Tony didn't respond, Ziva squinted up and tried to catch his eye.

"Tony? Are you ready to come down?" she repeated.

More silence followed her words.

"Tony!" she yelled.

Finally Tony spoke.

"I….I don't ….I don't think I can….," he stammered.

"What do you mean?"

"I can't move Ziva." This time Tony's voice was louder and edged with panic.

Standing with his arms wrapped around the bark of the tree, Tony felt his heart thumping against his chest. His body had literally frozen and the mere thought of moving any part of it, sent a wave of irrational panic through his very core. Even his ragged breathing was causing ripples of fear to bubble to the surface suddenly making him very aware of just how high he was and just how precariously he was positioned.

"I'm going to fall Ziva," he called down.

"No you won't Tony," replied Ziva, trying to sound calm. "All you have to do it wrap your legs around the tree and-"

"Ziva, shut up!" yelled Tony.

Just listening to her voice was making him tremble with fear. He knew it wouldn't be long before even the thought of talking would be too much for him.

"I can't do it! I'm stuck!"

Ziva looked at her brother and wondered what to do.

"Do you want me to climb up and try and help you?" she asked.

"NO!" His tone was definite. "Don't come anywhere near me. You might knock me down."

Knowing his words sounded ridiculous, even to him, Tony couldn't help the terror that had completely overtaken his being. He felt helpless, unable to move and at a complete loss as to how he was going to survive this.

"Just…just give me a minute or two," he said quietly.

Hoping that was all Tony would need, Ziva found a nearby rock and took a seat. She noticed the sun was beginning to set and knew they should be heading home.

"Tony, it's starting to get dark," she called, stating the obvious. "Do you want to try again?"

Musting all his strength, Tony willed his body to co-operate. Just put your foot on the tree, he tried to tell himself. That's all you have to do.

But, try as he might, there was no way his foot, or any other part of his body was going anywhere.

Realising there was no other choice, Tony closed his eyes and spoke, praying the movement of his lips wouldn't cause his body to fall.

"You're….you're going to have to get…Dad," he stammered breathlessly.

"But Tony," implored Ziva. "We'll get into trouble. Just try to get down yourself. I'm sure you can do it."

"I can't Ziva!" yelled Tony. "Get Dad! NOW!"

Sighing heavily, Ziva knew there was no alternative. There was no way she could get Tony down by herself. With the sun dipping behind the distant hills, Ziva faced the inevitable.

"OK," she called, rising to a standing position. "I'm going to get Dad. Stay there."

If he wasn't so petrified, Tony would have snorted at her words.

Trudging heavily through the bush, Ziva followed the path they had taken earlier. It wasn't long before she spotted the bouncing beam of a flashlight and heard the distant calls of her father and Tim.

"Ziva! Tony!"

"I'm here Daddy," she called, trying to sound braver than she felt.

The beam steadied as if the carrier of the flashlight had stopped.

"Ziva?"

Her father's voice held a note of hopefulness.

"I'm here!" she called again.

Watching as the beam of light began bouncing again, indicating the bearer had quickened their pace, Ziva forged on ahead and could soon see the shadows of two people jogging towards her.

"Ziva!" called Gibbs, relief washing over him.

He reached her in seconds and enveloped her in a bone crushing hug.

"Are you alright? Where's Tony?"

"I'm fine," she replied. "And…And Tony's stuck in a tree."

She felt her father's arms stiffen around her before she was suddenly released and held out, forcing her eyes to meet with her father's.

"Tony's where?" asked Gibbs, not completely convinced he'd heard correctly.

"He's stuck in a tree," repeated Ziva. "I…I was showing him how to climb it and…and he got stuck and now he can't get down."

Gibbs listened as Ziva stammered her way through the explanation. Realizing that 'whys' could wait until later, he asked instead, "Where?"

"Over here," she said, taking his hand and leading him along the darkened path.

Lighting the way with the flashlight, Gibbs followed the little girl trying desperately to not let his anger surface too much. When Ziva finally stopped he looked down at her, noticing for the first time, the tears that had fallen on her cheeks.

"I'm…I'm sorry Daddy," she whimpered softly.

"We'll discuss this later," he replied grimly. "Right now I need to know where Tony is."

"I'm here Dad."

The small voice that barely penetrated the night air, caused Gibbs to look up to his left. Raising the flashlight, he pointed the beam to where the sound had come from. As it fell on the terrified boy, Gibbs let out a sigh of relief. Tony didn't look hurt, nor did he look trapped.

Digging into his pocket, he drew out his cell phone and tossed it to Tim.

"Call Jen and tell her the kids are safe," he ordered.

As Tim caught the phone and began dialing, Gibbs turned his attention back to Tony.

"Are you OK Tony?" he called up to the boy.

"Yeah, I'm not hurt," replied Tony. "I…I just can't move. It's like my legs won't…work."

Gibbs bent down and passed the flashlight to Ziva.

"I need you to point this on the tree so I can see where I'm climbing, understand?"

"Yes Daddy," she replied in a small voice.

Despite knowing she was in major trouble, Ziva was scared for her brother and wanted nothing more than to see Tony safely on the ground.

"OK Bud," called Gibbs as he moved closer to the tree. "I'm going to climb up to where you are. Do you think you can get yourself back on the branch?"

"Um… I'll try," replied Tony.

"Good boy," praised Gibbs.

Taking a deep breath, Tony thought through the movements he would need to get himself back on the branch. With the thought of no longer having to descend the tree overpowering his every move, he found himself able to think clearly for the first time. A renewed sense of courage surfaced and Tony felt his body begin to calm and, with it, the ability to move his limbs.

Gingerly moving his hands down the trunk, he gently lowered his body until he was, once again, sitting on the branch he had vacated nearly thirty minutes ago.

"Well done Tony," called Gibbs. "Just sit tight and I'll be there in a minute."

True to his word, it wasn't long before Gibbs was standing next to Tony on the branch.

"I…" began Tony sheepishly.

"Not now, Tony," began Gibbs, cutting him off before he could say any more. "As I said to Ziva, we'll discuss this later. Right now, I need to get you down."

Taking a nervous breath, Tony chewed on his bottom lip.

"Um, maybe I should just stay here?" he squeaked, making an attempt to lighten the mood.

The subsequent glare from his father made Tony very aware that his attempt had failed.

"Climb on my back, and I'll carry you down," ordered Gibbs.

The no nonsense tone from his Dad, wiped away all fear Tony may have had and, without hesitation, he gripped his arms around Gibbs' neck and wrapped his legs around his waist.

"Hold on tight, Tony," was all Gibbs said as the two of them quickly descended the tree.

As Tony's feet finally touched the ground, his joy was overshadowed by the realization of how much trouble he was in. Casting a quick look in Ziva's direction, he saw she, too, had no doubts as to their current predicament.

With both children standing side by side, heads bowed and matching expressions of contrition, Gibbs glared at them sternly.

"We will save the explanations until we get back to the camper," he said ominously.

"But…" began Ziva.

With a raised eyebrow, Gibbs turned on the little girl.

"Do you really want to argue right now, young lady?" he growled.

Taking her lack of response as an indication she had seen sense, Gibbs stepped aside and pointed down the path.

"Get moving, both of you," he ordered. "Stay behind Tim and use his flashlight as a guide."

Tony gulped and took a step forward, feeling like a prisoner on his way to the gallows. Following behind Tim, he noticed out of the corner of his eye, Ziva was walking with the same expression. He reached down and took her hand, squeezing it encouragingly. She had tried to help him today, tried to make him feel better. If they were doomed for certain death, the least he could do was show her he was by her side. He smiled as she stole a quick glance at him and was relieved to see the small smile she returned in his direction.

As the small procession reached the lights of the camper, Tony felt the butterflies in his stomach begin to launch themselves into a state of furious panic. His feeling of dread wasn't helped by the figure of his Mom standing just outside the annex door, her arms crossed tightly over her chest and her mouth set in a grim line of disapproval.

When they reached the annex, it was Gibbs who spoke first.

"I want both of you to put on your pajamas then go to our bedroom and wait for us. You have two minutes!"

Waiting until both children had entered the camper, Jenny turned to Gibbs and Tim.

"Up a tree?" she asked incredulously.

"Yep!" replied Gibbs.

"Tony? Not Ziva?" Jenny clarified.

"Oh I'm sure Ziva had been up there too, but it was Tony who was stuck," explained Gibbs.

"Um… I might just go inside and see what Abby's doing," interrupted Tim, wanting to escape the furious parents.

Softening her voice, Jenny reached out and touched Tim's arm.

"Thanks for going with Gibbs, Tim," she said gratefully.

"No problem," he said, smiling briefly. "I'm glad they were both safe," he added before disappearing through the canvas door.

"So what the hell were they doing?" asked Jenny as she heard Tim close the camper door.

"I don't know," replied Gibbs shaking his head. "I told them explanations could wait until they were back here."

"Was Tony hurt? Why was he stuck?"

Not answering her straight away, Gibbs placed his hand on the small of Jenny's back and directed her into the annex. Putting the flashlight on the table, he took a seat on one of the camp chairs.

Following his lead, Jenny did the same. Then, looking at him expectantly, she waited for an answer to her earlier questions.

"He wasn't hurt," replied Gibbs, running his hands tiredly over his face. "He had managed to climb fairly high and I think the thought of coming down became too much and he sort of froze."

"And Ziva?" asked Jenny.

"She was on her way to find me when we came across her."

"Do they have any idea how much trouble they're in?" Jenny's voice was a mixture of relief and frustration.

"Oh they know," replied Gibbs grimly. "Trust me, they know."

Having closed his eyes briefly, Gibbs reopened them and looked at his watch.

"Times up," he announced. He stood and took Jenny's hand. "Let's see what these two have to say for themselves."

Entering the back bedroom, Gibbs and Jenny were pleased to see both Ziva and Tony sitting on their bed, clad in their pajamas.

Staring at them wordlessly, they watched as both children fidgeted uncomfortably under their glare.

"Last thing I remember, Ziva," began Gibbs sternly, "was you heading back to the camper to apologize to Tony. What happened from there?"

Ziva swallowed and shuffled nervously. Taking a deep breath, she lifted her gaze and spoke, explaining how they both ended up in the bush, well after dark.

"When I knew Tony couldn't get down by himself, I came to find you to help us."

Her voice trailed off as she finished her story.

"At any time, did either of you think through what you were doing?" asked Gibbs incredulously. "Did you think that wandering off without telling anyone was maybe not such a good idea? Did you consider the danger of climbing to such a height without anyone around to help?"

The questions were rhetorical and Tony and Ziva simply hung their heads, knowing full well their answers were a resounding no.

"No, you didn't!" replied Gibbs, his voice steadily rising. "You both know better than to just wander off without telling anyone. Do you have any idea how worried Mom I were when we couldn't find either of you?"

With heads bowed, both children muttered a sincere, "I'm sorry," before Gibbs continued.

"And as for the tree climbing," he said, trying desperately to control the anger that was bubbling to the surface. "What possessed either of you to scale twenty feet up a tree?"

"I was trying to show Tony how to do it," replied Ziva, some of her old spark returning. "He wanted to learn so I was teaching him."

"Why did you want to learn Tony," asked Jenny, curious as to the boy's intentions.

Tony squirmed slightly in his seat before answering.

"I…I thought it might be a good skill to know," he replied, trying to make eye contact with his Mom. "Ziva knows how so I thought she could teach me."

"That's fine Tony, but that is something you do with adult supervision and with some kind of safety equipment," said Jenny patiently. "Anything could have happened to you. What if you'd fallen?"

When Tony didn't respond, Jenny sighed and said, "These are the kinds of things you need to think through before doing them."

Tony nodded.

"But I used to do those things all the time," piped up a small voice.

Both Gibbs and Jenny gave Ziva their full attention. When she saw they weren't about to explode with anger, Ziva continued.

"Why was it OK for me to do it then, when I was younger and not OK to do it now?"

It was a genuine question and Gibbs knew it demanded a genuine answer. Trying to word it diplomatically was the problem.

"Ziva, some of the things your Abba made you do weren't very safe, especially for someone your age. Most children are never asked to do the things your Abba expected of you."

"But, it made me strong and brave," insisted Ziva. "It made Abba proud of me when I succeeded. But….but…"

She lowered her head as her voice trailed off into silence.

"But what, honey?" encouraged Jenny.

Ziva picked at her finger nails.

"Well…" she began before hesitating once again.

Jenny crouched down in front of her daughter and laid a comforting hand on her knee.

"Sweetie, you'll never be in trouble for speaking the truth. You actions might land you in hot water, but we always want you to tell the truth."

Ziva took a deep breath.

"Well, that's kind of it," she replied, confusing Jenny and Gibbs even further. "I get in trouble for doing things that would have pleased Abba, things that would have made him proud. But with you and Daddy, it's wrong. You call it dangerous and sometimes I get spanked for it. Why aren't you proud of me too?"

"We are proud of you Ziva," replied Jenny quickly, trying to reassure the little girl sat before her.

"But, tonight I taught Tony how to climb a tree and you're not proud. You're cross at me." Her voice wavered as her eyes filled with tears.

Jenny looked up at Gibbs for inspiration, particularly since what Ziva had said was true.

Gibbs crouched down next to Jenny and looked at Ziva carefully.

"Was there any time today when you questioned what you were doing? Did you ever think that maybe what you were doing wasn't safe or wasn't something Mommy or I would be happy with?"

Ziva swallowed nervously and shrunk back in her seat.

"Ziva?" prompted Gibbs.

The little girl shrugged.

"I guess," she finally admitted.

"When did you think that?" asked Gibbs.

"When Tony said that you don't like us doing stuff that is a bit dangerous," she replied.

"So, both of you knew that we wouldn't be happy with your actions?" asked Gibbs.

He and Jenny watched as both children bowed their heads and nodded slowly.

"Then, there's your answer Ziva," concluded Gibbs. "The moment you knew Mom and I wouldn't be happy with what you were doing, was the moment you should have stopped. You know right from wrong. And, deep down, I think you know when what you're doing is both dangerous and against our wishes. Am I right?"

Again she nodded, not making eye contact.

"I know it can be confusing because of what your Abba expected of you," explained Gibbs. "But you're clever enough to work out when actions are unreasonable and dangerous."

Gibbs paused. He reached out and lifted her chin.

"I am proud of you Ziva," he said with confidence. "I'm proud of you every minute of every day. I may not like some of the choices you make or some of the things you do, but I am always proud of you. Just as I will always love you."

He turned to face Tony before adding, "Both of you."

Allowing his words to sink in, Gibbs attempted to stand, stretching out his aching knee. As Jenny followed suit, he sighed in resignation before speaking.

"Tonight you did two things wrong," he began sternly. "What were they?"

Tony and Ziva gave each other a quick glance before Tony took the lead and spoke.

"We put ourselves in danger by climbing the tree without any adults around," he said quickly hoping the speed of his words might make them sound less incriminating.

"That's one," replied Gibbs. "What was the other?"

He watched as both children frowned, trying to think of their second misdemeanor.

"Oh," said Ziva, her face lifting with remembrance. "We wandered off without telling anyone"

"Exactly," confirmed Gibbs. "You never go anywhere without first telling either Mommy or me where you are going and, if we're not around, you tell Abby or Tim. Is that understood?"

"Yes Dad."

"Yes Daddy."

The words were spoken simultaneously.

"You will both go straight to bed after dinner and you are both grounded for tomorrow. You do not leave the camper or annex unless you have permission from either Mom or me. There will be no walks, no treats, no playing on the playground. Is that clear?"

Again, both children responded together.

"As for the tree climbing, both of you knew it was dangerous and yet you went ahead anyway. That is not, nor will it ever be acceptable."

Without further discussion, Gibbs took Ziva's hand and led her firmly away from Tony and into her room. Sitting on one of the beds, he quickly turned her over his knee and applied three hard smacks to her pajama clad bottom. It certainly wasn't the hardest spanking he had given her but, combined with the stern discussion that had just taken place and knowing she had been genuinely frightened by seeing Tony stuck in the tree, it didn't take much for the flood gates to open and Ziva to start crying.

Standing her upright, he looked into the tear stained face.

"The next time your conscience tells you something is dangerous, you listen to it otherwise you will find yourself with another sore bottom. Am I clear?"

Sniffing loudly, she nodded her head and replied, "Yes….Daddy…"

With his heart melting at the sight of her tears and remorseful brown eyes, Gibbs pulled her into his arms.

"I love you Sweet pea," her murmured against her head as she clung tightly to his neck. "And it terrifies me when you do something that puts you in danger. I don't like having to spank you, but if it keeps you from making dangerous decisions, I will warm your bottom every time."

As her crying quickly dissipated, he patted her back and pulled her away from him.

"Go and help Abby and Tim set the table for dinner," he said gently, guiding her towards the door.

She turned to face him.

"Are you going to spank Tony?" she asked.

"Yes," he replied, with no hesitation.

"He said it wasn't a good idea to climb the tree," she said feeling guilty for having landed Tony in trouble. "It wasn't really his fault. I made him do it."

Feeling proud of the way she stood up for her brother, Gibbs pulled her towards him.

"Ziva, you didn't make Tony do anything. He made his own decisions. He could have said no."

As she made to open her mouth and argue, he cut her off immediately. "I understand that you want to protect him honey, but Tony is as much at fault as you are. You both knew it was wrong and you will both be punished equally."

When he saw she understood and accepted his words, he turned her towards the door.

"Now go and help the others," he added with a smile, gently pushing her forward.

His smile soon faded however, when he realized he still had one more child to deal with.

Returning to his and Jenny's bedroom, he noticed Tony hadn't moved. The look on the boy's face told him he knew exactly what was about to happen. Without further discussion and not wanting to draw the punishment out any longer than necessary, Gibbs sat on the bed and, with a feeling of déjà vu, pulled Tony over his lap and administered the same amount of spanks to his eldest as he had for Ziva, applying a little more force the second time around to ensure the message was received.

Raising the boy to his feet, Gibbs looked sternly into his face. Although Tony wasn't crying, he knew the spanking had achieved the desired effect judging by the way the boy was fidgeting on the floor.

"You could have been seriously hurt tonight, Tony," scolded Gibbs. "The next time your brain tells you something is dangerous, listen to it! Understood?"

Tony nodded sincerely.

"Yes Sir," he replied automatically, nodding his head as he spoke.

"Good! Make sure you do," added Gibbs.

Pulling Tony into a hug, Gibbs kissed the boy's temple murmuring gently, "I love you Tony. I love you too much to let you do something that could endanger your life."

Setting Tony aside, he patted the boy's back before sending him out the room to help the others.

With just he and Jenny left in the room, Gibbs sighed tiredly and rubbed his hand over his face.

"I hate doing that," he said quietly.

"I know," replied Jenny, stepping towards him.

Straddling his legs, she lowered herself on his lap before wrapping her arms around his back and leaning her head into his chest.

He engulfed her in a hug, thankful for the support and strength she gave him.

As they sat in silence, they listened to the sounds coming from the other end of the camper. Gibbs smiled as he heard Abby take charge, giving orders as to what needed doing.

He wasn't surprised when he heard Ziva say, "You're not the boss Abby, Daddy is!"

"Sounds like she's recovered," said Jenny with a laugh as the both continued to listen.

"Well Dad's not here right now, which makes me in charge," retorted Abby.

"Nah uh," came Tony's voice, "Mom's next in charge, not you!"

"Good to see they've got their priorities right," chuckled Gibbs, before yelping as Jenny swiftly punched him in the arm.

He laughed again, tightening his hold on her.

"Just kidding Madam Director," he teased. "We all know who's really in charge."

"Exactly," replied Jenny with a determined look on her face. "And don't you forget it, Mister."

As she looked into his eyes, he bent his head slightly and kissed her deeply.

"Wouldn't dream of it" he murmured.

As their lips locked together and their tongues explored, their moment of pleasure was interrupted as Ziva's voice, once again, penetrated the air.

"Stop being so bossy Abby! I'm going to tell Daddy on you."

Jenny groaned as Gibbs moved from under her, forcing her to stand.

"Sounds like we better go and referee," he said, giving her a light kiss before heading towards the door.

He turned and grinned at her, mischief dancing in his eyes.

"I think we'll need an early night tonight," he said suggestively.

"Hmmm?" she murmured, moving towards him and wrapping her arms around his waist. "So we can continue where we left off?" she asked.

"Nope," replied Gibbs, his smirk deepening. "Because we'll need every ounce of strength to face twenty four hours of Ziva in lock down. I've just realized this is the first time she's been grounded."

"Oh no…" Jenny groaned, collapsing dramatically against him.

Then, as a sudden thought reached her, she brightened considerably before saying.

"Oh well, as the children said, 'You're the boss'! I think Abby and I might have a girl's day out tomorrow."

She smiled smugly as she sauntered passed him, only to have the smile replaced with a high pitched yelp as Gibbs swatted her playfully on the bottom.

"Don't bet on it!" he retorted as the two of them made their way to the kitchen area.


	11. Grounded!

**Thanks again for the wonderful reviews - as always they are very much appreciated.**

 **Fire and Ice will be updated next. Working on Chapter three now :)**

Chapter 11 - Grounded!

"Abby, if you dare wake them up, you'll be grounded for a week!"

Gibbs' threat, while only half serious, certainly stopped Abby in her tracks. Turning down the volume on her iPod, she quickly grabbed her ear plugs and inserted them, giving Gibbs a quick grin.

 _Thank you_ , he signed.

It has been a hellish day beginning at 5.30 that morning when Ziva first awoke.

"What is that noise?" asked a groggy Gibbs as his ears slowly acclimatised to a dull 'thud', 'thud' coming from the room next door.

Jenny rolled over and, picking up her phone, squinted at the time.

"Ugh!" she groaned, seeing it was only 5.30am. "I don't know but I wish it would stop."

Getting out of bed, Gibbs padded to the next room and quietly slid open the canvas concertina door. Peering into the room, it didn't take long for him to assess the cause behind the noise. Lying on her back, eyes wide open, Ziva legs were stretched up as she tried to walk along the ceiling, tapping the fibreglass top with each step.

"Ziva!" whispered Gibbs crossly. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to walk upside down," she replied innocently, peering through her legs which were now nearly over her head.

"Well stop it!" hissed Gibbs, creeping into the room. "It's five thirty and everyone is still trying to sleep."

Standing next to the top bunk Ziva was currently occupying, Gibbs took hold of her ankles in mid step and lifted her lower body into the air in order to pries the covers out from under her. Lowering her legs, he pulled over the covers and began tucking them in.

"No Daddy!" she whispered urgently. "I don't want to sleep. I'm awake now."

She demonstrated this further by kicking the covers away from her.

"Ziva, it is far too early to be up," growled Gibbs in a low voice. "Either go to sleep here or come back to bed with me."

"But I want to get up!" she whined, her voice rising slightly.

Hearing a soft groan from Tony's bed, Gibbs turned sharply and watched as the boy rolled over, thankfully still asleep.

Giving Ziva no further choice in the matter, he lifted her out of bed and quickly took her back to his and Jenny's room.

"Daddy!" she complained, kicking her legs as she was carted to her parent's room.

"Shh!" whispered Gibbs.

Stepping through the doorway, he turned and closed the door quietly before carrying Ziva to the bed and depositing her between himself and Jenny.

"You are not getting up, Miss," whispered Gibbs as he settled back into bed. "It's still dark outside. Now lie down and close your eyes."

She was quiet for a few seconds and Gibbs wondered if she had miraculously fallen back to sleep. His hopes were short lived however, when he heard, "Daddy?"

"What?" he answered quietly, his eyes still closed.

"What am I allowed to do today?"

Gibbs frowned, trying to work out what she meant.

"Huh?" he eventually asked when curiosity got the better of him.

Ziva sat up and turned to face him.

"What am I allowed to do today?" she repeated. "I've never been grounded before."

Gibbs, his eyes still closed, groaned inwardly.

"We'll discuss that in the morning," he said sleepily. "Now lie down please."

"It is the morning," she argued.

"Ziva!"

This time it was Jenny's voice that hissed through the air. "Daddy has told you to lie down!"

Turning over, Jenny leveled her daughter with a stern glare.

"But I'm not tir-ed!" The last word was stretched out in frustration.

"Well we are!" replied Jenny and Gibbs in unison.

Ziva giggled.

"You said that together," she added, grinning at them.

"Ziva," continued Gibbs crossly. "I'm not playing games. It's too early and you need to sleep some more. This is the last time I will tell you. Lie down and go to sleep."

When Ziva didn't move, he added sternly, "NOW!"

Letting out a long, suffering sigh of frustration, Ziva noisily shuffled her body down the bed and finally lay on her back, her eyes still wide open.

After a few seconds and just as they were both drifting off, Jenny and Gibbs heard a quiet humming coming from the little body between them.

"Ziva!" they both growled together.

Another long suffering sigh was heard.

"But, I'm not -"

"Ziva, that's enough!" rebuked Jenny, cutting her off mid sentence. "Close your eyes and go to sleep or I will give you something to complain about."

Understanding exactly what her Mom meant, Ziva slumped her body into the mattress before closing her eyes and, finally, lapsing into silence.

Despite her protestations to the contrary, it only took a few short minutes before Ziva's breathing evened out and she finally fell asleep.

Giving each other a silently mimed 'high five', Gibbs and Jenny simultaneously rolled over before they too nodded off.

When they next awoke, it was to the sounds of bickering coming from the kitchen area.

'I don't want that cereal. It's got too much milk on it."

Tony's voice was loud and complaining.

"You're the one who poured it on," pointed out Tim.

"My hand slipped," argued Tony. "Why can't I just pour it in the sink?"

"Because that's a waste of food," replied Abby. "Here…" they heard the sound of a plastic tumbler hitting the table, "Pour it into that."

Jenny turned to Gibbs.

"Sounds like the troops are awake," she said, leaning over and kissing him lightly.

"And ready for battle," added Gibbs ominously.

Climbing out of bed, he watched as Jenny did the same. When she sat on the edge of the bed, contemplating what to wear for the day, Gibbs chuckled.

"Wear a helmet. I think you'll need one!"

It was Gibbs who emerged from the bedroom first. Making his way to the kitchen to grab his first cup of coffee for the day, he found Tony, Tim and Abby sitting at the table.

"Where's Ziva?" he asked, stepping back to peer into the small shared bedroom which, he quickly discovered, was devoid of any life.

"In the annex," replied Abby wearily.

When Gibbs didn't respond but merely raised a questioning eyebrow, Abby continued.

"She's sulking because I wouldn't let her cook her own eggs for breakfast."

"I am NOT sulking," came a loud, grumpy voice from beyond the camper door.

Gibbs sighed.

"I need coffee," he groaned.

Pouring a mug and taking a few fortifying gulps, Gibbs replaced the cup on the table before stepping out into the annex. He soon found Ziva sitting on one of the camp chairs. Her knees were tucked up under her chin and her arms were folded around her legs.

"What's up?" he asked, taking a seat on the chair next to her.

"Abby wouldn't let me have eggs for breakfast," she complained grumpily.

"Hey!" objected Abby, whose face soon appeared at the camper door. "That's not true and you know it!"

Ziva rounded on her sister.

"You said I couldn't have eggs!" she yelled loudly.

"I did not! I said you couldn't COOK the eggs," retorted Abby, just as loudly. "There's a big difference!"

Closing his eyes briefly at the loud bickering, Gibbs took a deep breath before saying, "Abby, who's the adult here?"

"But she said-" began Abby crossly.

"Abby!" growled Gibbs, glaring at his eldest.

"Fine! Whatever!" snarled Abby, storming away and slamming the camper door.

Gibbs turned to Ziva.

"Did Abby say you couldn't have eggs or you couldn't cook them yourself?" he asked, sounding far more patient than he felt.

"It's the same thing," replied Ziva. "It means I don't get eggs!"

"It's not the same thing," reasoned Gibbs. "It just means you have to wait for someone to cook them."

"I can cook them myself!"

Her tone was sulky and Gibbs could tell she was in a foul mood.

"No Ziva, you can't," he replied firmly. "Abby was right to not let you."

"She's so bossy," argued Ziva. "She's always telling me what to do."

Realising this was Ziva's main grievance, Gibbs decided to tackle the issue.

"Abby is only making sure you do what you're supposed to, so that you don't end up in more trouble."

"No she's not. She's trying to get me _into_ more trouble!"

"That's not true," replied Gibbs calmly, "and, I think if you thought about it, you would realize that too."

Ziva didn't respond but simply pursed her lips and let her chin drop to her knees again.

"I know you and Abby can sometimes disagree with each other but she's a wonderful big sister to you, Ziva," reasoned Gibbs. "She takes you places and does things with you. You're very lucky to have her. Most little girls don't get to have a big brother and sister who are willing to help them out."

Still not willing to admit she was in the wrong, Ziva merely stared at the ground, refusing to respond.

After a few seconds of silence, Gibbs stood up.

"So, how do you want your eggs?" he asked, changing the subject.

Ziva shrugged.

"Can I have some of that cereal with the sultana's in it, instead?"

Gibbs sighed, wondering if she had really wanted eggs in the first place or was just trying to wind Abby up.

"Sure," he said heading towards the door. "You can get that yourself."

Ziva stood up and followed him to the door.

"I don't think we have any left," she said, stepping into the camper. "Can we go to the store and buy some?"

"Not today, sweetheart," replied Gibbs. "You're grounded remember."

"That's not fair," she whined, "Going to the store's not fun. Why can't we go there?"

"Because I said no," replied Gibbs firmly. "Now sit down and eat something."

Sitting on the bench seat, Ziva folded her arms and pouted.

Ignoring her, Gibbs looked around for Abby. Assuming she must be in the bedroom, he headed in that direction passing Jenny in the passage.

"Hope that helmet's secured," he quipped as he met up with her.

"That bad?"

"Ziva is," replied Gibbs. "She's in a mood and it ain't good!"

Jenny snorted before continuing through to the kitchen area.

Stepping into the bedroom, Gibbs found Abby lying face down on the bed. Reacting on impulse, he lifted his hand and brought it down sharply on the presented bottom before him.

"Ow!" yelped Abby, springing up as her hands flew around to protect her now stinging rear. "What was that for?"

"You know better than to give me attitude, young lady," replied Gibbs sternly. "I don't appreciate being told 'fine' or 'whatever' and certainly not both in the same breath. And as for slamming the door…"

Dropping her head with embarrassed shame, Abby mumbled a quiet apology.

"As I said before," continued Gibbs. "You're the adult. Stooping to the level of a five year old will not go well for you. Am I clear?"

As Abby nodded her head, Gibbs took a seat next to her on the bed.

"I know Ziva can be difficult at times and I also know she deliberately winds you up but it doesn't help when you start acting the same way she is. Trust me to get to the truth. You don't need to defend yourself quite so forcibly."

"I'm sorry," repeated Abby. "It won't happen again."

"I know," replied Gibbs shrewdly. "It better not."

Standing up, Gibbs said, "Thanks for helping out with breakfast. Jen and I appreciate it."

Abby smiled and nodded.

"And be prepared," continued Gibbs. "Both Tony and Ziva are grounded. Today is not going to get any easier. It might even be a good idea for you and Tim to disappear for a while."

"Yeah, I think we might," agreed Abby.

True to Gibbs prediction, the morning definitely did not improve.

By ten o'clock Abby and Tim had made a quick exit, deciding a drive in the country was the only way to stop them from landing in trouble alongside Tony and Ziva who were hell bent on pushing everyone's buttons. Their departure only leaving Jenny and Gibbs with two even grumpier children who demanded it wasn't fair that Abby and Tim got to do something fun when they couldn't. Despite pointing out it was their own faults they were grounded, any reasoning fell on deaf ears and, in the end, to avoid really losing his temper, Gibbs had sent each child to a bedroom for twenty minutes.

Thankfully, in that time, Ziva managed to fall asleep on her parent's bed and Tony emerged in a far more reasonable mood when he realised he was able to play with the Lego kit Tim had bought him in Geelong.

When lunchtime came around, it was Jenny who was ready to blow a gasket following Tony's declaration "there's nothing to eat" despite a fridge full of edible offerings.

"But I'm sick of sandwiches," groaned Tony. "Why can't I have Mac and Cheese?"

"I offered you Mac and Cheese," replied Jenny in exasperation. "You said you didn't want it."

"I don't want _that_ Mac and Cheese," argued Tony. "I want the one we have a home."

"They don't have that one here. It's this one or nothing?"

Jenny held up the packet mix she had found at the market the other day. Tony scowled, his eyebrows nearly reaching his eyes.

"The wind'll change," remarked Gibbs, as he stepped into the annex to see what the problem was.

Tony shot Gibbs a look of pure insolence.

"You might want to rethink that look," warned Gibbs. "Otherwise the bedroom might be the only view you get for the rest of today."

Despite marginally rearranging his facial expression, Tony still made it very obvious he wasn't a happy boy. He was saved from further rebuke when Ziva peered around the door and distracted everyone.

"What's for lunch?"

"Sandwiches or Mac and Cheese," replied Jenny, sighing wearily.

"Is it the Mac and Cheese we have at home?" asked Ziva

"No!" growled Jenny, closing her eyes in frustration. "You both know we can't get that one here."

"That other one's yuck!" announced Ziva, stepping in the annex.

"Fine then," replied Jenny, trying to gather as much patience as possible. "I'll make you a sandwich."

Ziva groaned loudly.

"I'm sick of sandwiches. Why can't we get Ducky to send some of our Mac and Cheese to us here in Australia?" Ziva's eyes lit up with excitement.

"Hey, that's a great idea Zi!" agreed Tony, smiling for the first time that day.

"That doesn't solve the problem of what you want for lunch now though," replied Jenny.

"Yes it does," said Ziva. "We'll just wait for Ducky's parcel."

Gibbs snorted then, seeing the frown he was receiving from Ziva, said, "I'm sorry sweetheart, but it will take at least a couple of weeks for Ducky's parcel to arrive and that's providing he can even send it to us."

"That's crap!" remarked Ziva crossly.

Suddenly all three pairs of eyes were staring at her.

"I beg your pardon Young Lady," growled Jenny sternly. "We do NOT want to hear that kind of language, thank you!"

"Why? Abby says it all the time," replied Ziva innocently.

"Well," began Jenny slowly, choosing her words carefully. "Abby's an adult which makes a big difference as to what she can and can't say. You are five years old and that is a word we definitely do not want to hear coming from your mouth."

She turned to Tony. "Or yours for that matter."

Tony gaped indignantly.

"I didn't say anything!" he defended loudly.

"I know," placated Jenny. "I'm just letting you know should you be in any doubt."

Tony managed to refrain from rolling his eyes and settled with scowling instead.

Jenny sighed. Looking at the frowning, gloomy faces of both her children she felt a pang of sympathy. Being grounded was hard enough, but being grounded in the small confines of a camper was almost unbearable.

"I know you're both having a tough day," she began softly, taking a seat on a nearby camp chair. Holding out her arm to Ziva, she waited for the little girl to walk towards her before hoisting her onto her lap.

"Being grounded is always tough and it's especially hard when you've only got the space of a small camper. We've already tried to make some allowances by letting you play with things you normally wouldn't be allowed to."

Both children stared at the ground, their heads bowed in repentance.

"Now Dad and I had a chat before and we've decided to let you watch a DVD this afternoon."

Jenny smiled as both eyes flicked upwards and stared at her in surprise.

"However," she continued. "You need to eat lunch first, preferably without complaint and make sure your room is tidy. I noticed there was Lego all over the floor when I walked past earlier."

Tony nodded with enthusiasm.

"And Ziva?" Jenny waited for the little girl to look at her. "Your crayons belong in the box, not all over Abby's bed. You need to pick those up before you watch the movie, OK?"

"Yes Mommy," replied Ziva, sounding much happier than she had five minutes ago.

"Right then," said Jenny, standing up and depositing Ziva on the floor. "What would you like on your sandwiches?"

"Egg salad please," replied Tony.

"Me too," added Ziva.

"Much better," said Jenny as she headed to the camper door. "I'll call you when they're ready."

Stepping inside, Jenny felt Gibbs' arms wrap around her waist as he came up behind her.

"So, er…when did we decide on the DVD?" he whispered in her ear.

Taking his hand, she lead him through to their bedroom to avoid listening ears. Turning around she looked sheepishly into his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Hon," she said apologetically. "It was either that or have me run away and leave you with them for the afternoon?"

"DVD it is then," replied Gibbs quickly, gathering her into his arms and holding her close. "Good call."

Jenny let out a brief laugh.

"Oh I hope we never have to ground them together again while we're on this vacation. I vote for three hour fitness drills next time."

"Oh sure," replied Gibbs, rolling his eyes. "And who's gonna lead them? Not me!"

Giving Jenny a quick squeeze he added, "Besides, Ziva would be in heaven with that as a punishment. I don't think Tony would be complaining too much either."

"True," agreed Jenny. "We could always hope Tim and Abby are in need of punishment as well. We'll just make them look after Tony and Ziva for the day."

"They'd kill each other," replied Gibbs wryly.

"Problem solved!" quipped Jenny.

Dropping a quick kiss on her forehead, Gibbs turned and made his way back to the kitchen saying over his shoulder, "I like the way you think, my love!"

The afternoon passed relatively problem free. By the time Tim and Abby returned at four thirty, Tony and Ziva were happily playing Uno and were even more enthused when Tim and Abby joined them for another couple of games.

"OK gang," said Gibbs as he and Jenny joined the children at the table. "Gonna need you to pack this away in a minute so we can have dinner but, before that, we'd like to talk to you about tomorrow."

Putting down their cards, four faces looked towards Gibbs.

"Mom and I thought it's probably time we moved on from here," began Gibbs.

"Yes!" exclaimed Tony, punching the air with his fist. When everyone turned to face him, he elaborated saying, "Well, we've been here for ages and it's getting boring now."

Gibbs smirked and shook his head before continuing. Reaching over the back of the bench seat, he grabbed the large road atlas and opened to the page he had marked.

"So, this is where we are," he said, pointing to Apollo Bay. "Tomorrow, we'll travel further along the coast and visit a couple of places along the way. Then, we'll continue on until we cross over the border into South Australia."

His words were accompanied by his finger travelling along the page, pointing out a couple of tourist attractions before turning the page and continuing a short distance into the state of South Australia.

"It's a long drive and we won't arrive at the new camp ground until late in the afternoon."

"How long?" asked Tony

"Without stops, it's about five hours," replied Jenny. "I guess it depends how long we visit some of the places along the way."

"If it gets too late, we'll just find a rest stop and camp there for the night," added Gibbs.

"So, where is our next camp stop?" asked Tim, trying to see where Gibbs had rested his finger after explaining where they were going.

"Mount Gambier," replied Gibbs, pointing again to the town just over the border.

"Does it have an ocean?" asked Ziva.

Jenny smiled at Ziva's question.

"No, but it has a volcano," she replied, lifting her eyebrows.

"A volcano!" exclaimed Tony. "Cool! Is there lava as well?"

"It's an extinct volcano now," explained Jenny. 'But there's a huge crater at the top which is now a lake and there are a couple of caves we can visit and explore."

"I'd rather see lava," retorted Tony, his face falling in disappointment.

"Yay, caves!" yelled Ziva, clapping her hands together. "I love caves! Remember the one we visited before…before the …you know…before we went back home."

Jenny and Gibbs exchanged a look acknowledging Ziva's reluctance to mention the events of the shooting.

"Oh yeah," replied Tony, a wide grin erupting on his face. "Remember the bat?"

Ziva giggled, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Ah huh!" she said between giggles.

"Hmmm…" mused Gibbs. He leveled both children with a stern expression. "I hope we won't be seeing any bats this time around."

As Tony and Ziva controlled their laughter, Gibbs didn't miss the deep shade of red Ziva had turned. He'd had his suspicions about the bat incident but, providing nothing untoward happened this time, was willing to let it go.

"Can we stop at the Twelve Apostles?" asked Abby.

Her phone was out and she was furiously Googling attractions along the way.

"It looks incredible. And," she added, swiping her finger across the page. "Loch Ard Gorge?"

"Well," replied Gibbs, enjoying the enthusiasm Abby was displaying. "Seeing as you're our unofficial events planner, I'd say they'd be good places to start."

"Wow! This coastline is amazing," continued Abby. "We should look at the blow hole as well."

Tony let out a loud snort of laughter to which Abby rolled her eyes.

"Blow hole!" he repeated, not even bothering to hide his laughter. "That's Tim's butt after he's eaten beans!"

"Oh…gee thanks!" replied Tim sarcastically, his voice lost amidst the raucous laughter of Tony and Ziva. "You're one to talk! We have to evacuate the camper when you let one drop."

By this stage, Ziva had collapsed under the table and was rolling around on the floor laughing uncontrollably.

"Enough!" called Jenny. "Ziva, get up please!"

Completely ignored by both children, Jenny reached under the table and tried to grab Ziva but the little girl rolled out of the way right into the path of Tony's leg which was swinging wildly as he continued laughing hysterically.

"OW!" yelled Ziva, grabbing her head. "Tony kicked me!"

"I did not!" retorted Tony. "You rolled into my foot."

"Ziva! Get out from under the table right now!" ordered Jenny, her patience wearing thin.

As Ziva slowly emerged, holding the side of her head, Jenny looked at her sternly.

"If you'd come out when I first told you to, this wouldn't have happened," she said, trying to lift Ziva's hand away from her head to inspect any damage. Seeing the area wasn't even red, she gave it a quick rub saying, "You'll live."

As Ziva caught Tony's eye she was quickly reminded of why she was on the floor in the first place. All thoughts of injury were forgotten as she let out a loud snort of laughter, sending Tony into a second fit of giggles with her.

Jenny rolled her eyes and climbed out from behind the table. Taking down plates from the cupboard, she laid them out on the table.

"OK," called Gibbs clapping his hands together. "Dinner's in five minutes. These cards need packing away and the table set."

When neither child made any attempt to move, he tried a different tactic.

"One!" he began loudly.

Immediately, Tony and Ziva pulled themselves together and began to gather the Uno cards into a pile.

"Two!" continued Gibbs.

"We're doing it Dad!" exclaimed Tony in a panic, grabbing a fistful of cards and trying to stack them together.

"I know," remarked Gibbs. "I'm just keeping you on track."

He watched as both children finally got the cards together into a single pile.

"Two and a half…."

Tony grabbed the packet and quickly stuffed the deck into the box. Just as he finished and laid it on the table, Gibbs said, "Three!"

Both children collapsed against the bench seat, sighing in relief.

"Good job," praised Gibbs. "Now go and wash up for dinner."

As the children left the table and disappeared into the small bathroom, Gibbs looked at Tim and Abby. Both were focused on Abby's phone, discussing which places should be visited.

"Hey!" called Gibbs, trying to get the attention of his eldest two. "Table needs setting."

"Yeah, OK," replied Abby distractedly.

When a few seconds passed and neither adult had made any attempt to move, Gibbs raised both eyebrows and glared at them.

"One!" he began loudly.

A sudden burst of action followed the single word command as Abby quickly put down her phone and Tim jumped up, opening the silverware drawer.

Nodding his head in satisfaction, Gibbs stood and began helping Jenny dish out the food. When he caught her eye, he smiled and said, "Who thought counting to three could be so productive."


	12. The Great Ocean Road

**AN - For those of you who follow "Fire and Ice" you will be aware of the reasons behind my lack of updates. For those who don't, here is a repeat of what I wrote for F &I - ****_Many apologies for the long break between updates. There's far too much to go into any detail but let me just say that I hate cancer with a passion. In the last two months it has affected 3 people very close to me, taking the life of one of them. It has taken some time to get my head back into writing but I think I'm ready to embrace these fantasy worlds once again._** ** _Thanks for all the reviews, facebook messages and PMs asking about the stories. It's been hard to reply due to the personal nature of my absence but I'm sure you understand._**

 **I'd also like to add how difficult 'firsts' are following a death. This Christmas will be hard on our family and my thoughts and prayers are with those of you who are in a similar situation. May you find peace this Christmas Season.**

 **Before reading this chapter, or while reading it, I would strongly urge you to Google ' The Twelve Apostles, Victoria'. They are amazing and a 'must see' tourist destination for anyone visiting Victoria. It's been a while since I last visited that area. For those who have been there since 2009, I know one of the stacks has since crumbled into the sea, leaving only 8, however our family is visiting in 2006. Because I grew up close to this area, we would frequently take visitors along the Great Ocean Road. It is renowned for the gale force winds that buffer the coast. I don't think I have ever been there and not experienced high winds. Every photo reflects this in the way we all have hair flying out from our heads. Go into Google Maps and take the wooden boardwalk down to the view platform. Make special note of the way the fence spans out over the scrub land and cliffs - this will help you visualize what Tony does in this chapter.**

 **The second thing to Google is ' Loch Ard Gorge'; another amazing place and an incredible story behind its name. When I used to visit, you could explore the cave known as Tom Pearce's Cave. Looking at the photos on Google it appears to now be closed to the public. I don't know when this happened but, for the sake of the story, I'm going to assume it was before 2006.**

Chapter 12 - The Great Ocean Road

"Ziva, hold Daddy's hand please!"

Despite shouting, Jenny's voice was barely audible over the gusts of wind that battered the family to and fro as they made attempts to reach the lookout point.

"Why?" shouted Ziva, pushing her body forward and away from her mother's concerned hovering.

"Jethro!" called Jenny.

"Got it," yelled Gibbs, jogging ahead in pursuit of Ziva.

Pulling away from Gibbs' outstretched hand, Ziva scowled.

"I can walk by myself!"

"Either hold my hand or I'll carry you," called Gibbs over the noise of the wind.

Reaching up to grab his hand, Ziva pouted.

I'm not a baby, Daddy!"

"I know, Sweetheart. But this wind is strong enough to blow you over the cliff and I don't feel much like abseiling today."

Despite herself, Ziva giggled.

"Why is it so windy?" she yelled, skipping alongside her Father.

"It was windy when we left camp this morning but, out here with no protection or shelter, the wind roars in off the ocean."

"I don't like it," she called crossly. "It's too noisy."

Gibbs found himself in full agreement of the five year old's assessment.

They had awoken that morning to the sound of strong wind gusts buffering the camper. Packing quickly, the family was on the road by 9.30am and, as they traveled along the exposed Great Ocean Road, Gibbs became increasingly aware of the strengthening wind. By the time they reached the parking lot for the 'The Twelve Apostles', he'd been very relieved to stop the car. Worry of the camper jack-knifing had plagued his driving along the tourist road which winded its way along steep cliff edges until his head was throbbing and his heart pounding. He'd read the warning signs plastered along the iconic road, highlighting the dangers of towing during high winds and now, unfortunately, he could say he'd experienced it.

It wasn't until the family stepped out of the car, the true ferocity of the wind was evident. Clutching at clothes, phones and information brochures, they made their way across the road and onto the walking track that would take them to the lookout point from which they would be able to see the magnificent limestone stacks rising from the ocean just meters from the shore. From the photos in the brochure, Gibbs knew the harrowing walk would be worth it.

Stepping onto the walking track, Gibbs and Jenny were relieved to see it looked fairly secure; wooden boards and hand railings offered seemingly adequate safety. However, as the track meandered closer towards the exposed cliff edge, their previous confidence waned considerably and both found themselves seriously doubting the strength of the wooden hand rails and wire fencing. If fact, both had sudden visions of the lightweight Ziva being lifted off the path and blown clear across the ocean. It was at this point Gibbs had made a quick dash for the small girl, while Jenny clutched quickly at Tony's hand.

When they finally reached the first viewing platform, the family gasped in unison. The view was breathtaking. With the ocean and the wind roaring in competition of one another, they watched as the waves battered against the limestone statues that rose majestically out from the water.

"Wow!" exclaimed Abby. "The pictures don't do it justice. This is amazing!"

"Why are they called the _Twelve_ Apostles?" yelled Tony. "I can only see seven." He pointed with his right finger and counted again just to make sure he was correct.

"You can only see seven from here," replied Tim. Then, pointing out towards the right he added, "There are two more around that cliff."

"That only makes nine," called Tony, his voice cracking slightly from yelling.

"There were only ever nine," yelled Abby. "They're just called 'The Twelve Apostles' but there were never actually twelve of them."

"That's dumb!" exclaimed Tony, not afraid to express his opinion.

"It was originally called The Sow and Piglets," explained Abby. "See that island over there?" She pointed with her left hand. "That's Mutton Bird Island. It was said to be the mother pig, the sow, and all these little stacks were her piglets."

"I like that better," yelled Ziva.

They continued on until they reached the final viewing point. Set out in a circle, the fencing rail was extended upwards and out, spanning over the under growth and rugged cliffs like a flared skirt.

Seeing his parents were distracted with Ziva and Abby, Tony stared at the way the fencing flared out over the dangerous terrain. It would be easy enough to climb. He could lie on this stomach and look over the edge.

Giving a quick glance at the still distracted adults, Tony grabbed one of the higher wires and hoisted himself up and across the fence. Having just recently watched the movie Titanic with Abby and Tim, he was reminded of the scene where Jack stretches out from the front mast and yells into the endless horizon. Being careful not to snag himself on the barbed wire that formed the top rung of the fencing, Tony flattened his body against the tilt of the fence and, stretching out his arms, yelled, "I'm king of the world!"

Instantly panic erupted around him.

In the midst of Abby's gasp of shock, his Mother's cry of his name and Tim's yelled, "What the hell….", he felt a sudden intense sting on his backside which was in prime position for his Father's hand to crash down upon. Strong arms were slid underneath his torso and he felt himself being lifted off the fence. Progress was soon halted however, when his shirt suddenly snagged on one of the barbs.

"Stop!" yelled Tony. "My shirt's stuck."

Without hesitation, Gibbs deftly untangled the soft material and continued to drag Tony off the wire barrier. Setting him on the ground, he glared at his son with an anger Tony rarely saw.

"What on earth do you think you were doing?"

The fear at seeing Tony prostrate over a 300ft drop with only a couple of strands of wire fence preventing him from plummeting to his death, rose in Gibbs like an erupting volcano until angry relief replaced the fear and his words flew from his mouth in unedited exasperation.

"You could have been killed!" he yelled, his voice raised partly due to the thunderous roaring of the ocean and partly due to the fear-filled fury that pounded in his heart.

The sudden feel of a gentle hand which briefly stoked his back and then rested soothingly on his shoulder, reminded Gibbs he needed to get control of his anger. Without needing to acknowledge Jenny, Gibbs took a deep breath, closed his eyes and slowly counted to five. When his eyes reopened, they continued to glare at his son but the intense fear that had raged only seconds before, was now gone.

"Do you have any idea how dangerous that stunt was?"

The question was rhetorical and Tony knew it.

"What if the wind had caught hold of you, making you lose your balance? You could have fallen over the edge. Take a good look out there Tony," ordered Gibbs, spinning the boy around so he was facing the rugged cliffs. "No one could survive a fall like that."

With the boy's back to him, Gibbs took the opportunity to land another hard swat to the jean clad backside, before turning Tony back to face him.

"Don't EVER do something like that again! Those barriers are there for a reason. Do you understand me?"

Ignoring the intense stinging in his bottom, Tony vigorously nodded his head.

"Yes Sir."

As he was turned around again, Tony scrunched his eyes in anticipation of the third swat he fully expected to receive. However, he was pleasantly surprised when he felt his Dad's arms envelope him in a tight bear hug instead. Leaning into the embrace, his back resting against his father's chest, Tony stared out into the ocean.

"What made them?" he asked, once again captivated by the rugged stacks.

"Erosion," replied Gibbs, leaning into Tony's ear so he could be heard. "Limestone is a soft rock so, after thousands of years of having the ocean wash up against it, parts of the coast eroded away, leaving behind these stacks."

Hearing the conversation, Abby joined in.

"There's a section further up which used to be a bridge. They called it London Bridge because of the two arches. But, in 1989, the first arch, which was attached to the mainland, collapsed leaving two tourists stranded on the second arch. They had to be rescued by helicopter."

"Cool!" exclaimed Tony. "Wish that happened to us!"

He grinned up at his Dad who only rolled his eyes in response.

"Come on team," called Jenny. "Let's keep moving."

It was taking all her concentration trying to stop Ziva from wandering too close to the edge. Between that and the blustering wind, Jenny was desperately wishing she were back in the car. Seeing the desperation in her eyes, Gibbs smirked and, taking hold of Tony's hand, he scooped Ziva into his arms and led the group back towards the parking lot.

A collective sigh of relief whispered around the car as the family settled into their seats and buckled up. The constant shouting to be heard above the wind along with trying to maintain an upright position without being blown over, had taken so much energy that, for the next 10 minutes of the drive, nobody spoke.

It was Abby who spoke first causing everyone to jump when her voice penetrated the silence.

"Next stop is Loch Ard Gorge," she informed everyone without looking up from the brochure she was reading. "It's named after a shipwreck in 1878."

Tony immediately looked up, his interest sparked.

"What happened?" he asked.

"A ship, carrying 17 crew and 37 passengers along with an assortment of cargo left England on the 1st of March 1878 bound for Melbourne, Australia," read Abby. She continued scanning the page in silence.

"Yeah, then what happen," urged a frustrated Tony. He hated it when people began a story and never finished.

'Um…sorry," apologised a distracted Abby. She looked up and summarised what she'd read.

"Apparently, they got caught in a terrible fog. The captain didn't know they were so close to the shore. By the time he and the crew realised it, it was too late. They struck the rocky coast and the ship broke apart, spilling all its cargo and passengers before sinking into the sea. There were only two survivors, Tom Pearce, a fifteen year old ship's apprentice and Eva Carmichael, a seventeen year old passenger. Tom reached the shore first and sheltered in a cave. Then he heard screams and saw Eva hanging onto a chicken coup. He -"

"A chicken coup?" interrupted Ziva. "Why was there a chicken coup in the ocean?"

"It came of the ship, stupid," scoffed Tony, annoyed at having the story interrupted.

"Don't call me stupid!" yelled Ziva.

"Well stop saying stupid things," argued Tony.

"Hey!" called Jenny from the front. "Both of you stop it."

She looked sternly at Tony. "We've spoken to you before about calling your sister names. Do you want to be grounded again?"

The sheer mention of being grounded with yesterday's pain still so raw, had Tony shaking his head vigorously.

"No Ma'am", he answered quickly.

Leaving the conversation there, Jenny turned to Abby and signalled for her to continue.

"Anyway," said Abby, clearing her throat. "Tom swam out to Eva and rescued her, carrying her to the cave for shelter. He then climbed the cliffs and went searching for help. He stumbled across a farm house and a team of men set out to bring Eva back up the cliff."

When Abby stopped and gazed back at the brochure, Tim asked, "So what happened to them?"

"Hang on, I'm just reading that part," she replied.

After a minute or so, Abby let out such a heart wrenching cry, everyone in the car immediately turned to see what was wrong.

"Oh no," she cried. "After weeks of convalescing, the both returned to England."

"What's wrong with that?" asked Tony.

Abby gazed at him and said pointedly. "Separately!"

"So?" replied Tony, creasing his face in confusion.

"Well, I thought after all that happened, being the only survivors, pushed together by the forces of tragedy, they might have fallen in love, married and lived happily ever after."

Abby sighed mournfully.

Tim scoffed loudly and rolled his eyes.

"Not everything is a Disney movie, Abby," he replied scornfully.

In reply, Abby punched him on the arm.

"Ow!" exclaimed Tim.

"Abby punched Timmy," yelled Ziva gleefully.

"I saw," replied Gibbs, lifting his eyes and staring pointedly at Abby through the rear vision mirror.

After a few seconds, Ziva continued.

"But, that's not nice," she pointed out, annoyed that nothing further was happening. "If I did that I'd be in big trouble."

"Yes, you would," agreed Gibbs.

"So why doesn't Abby get into trouble?"

"Because, Abby's an adult and so is Tim," explain Gibbs. "They're only playing with each other."

Tim looked at Gibbs incredulously before rubbing his throbbing arm.

"Didn't feel much like playing," he grumbled.

"Sorry Timmy," said Abby, reaching out and rubbing Tim's arm.

"S'Ok," replied Tim grudgingly.

Ziva watched the exchange and scowled to herself. She'd have to remember that excuse. Apparently 'playing' meant you didn't get into trouble.

"So how far away is this Loch Ard Gorge?" asked Jenny, changing the subject and, subsequently, the mood in the car.

Abby took out her phone and connected to Google Maps. After a few minutes she said, "Oh no, we must have passed it already."

Gibbs looked at her through the mirror.

"Why's that?"

"It's only about three minutes from The Twelve Apostles and we've been on the road much longer than that."

"I wanna see the wreck!" exclaimed Tony unable to hide the disappointment in his voice.

"Me too!" added Abby."

"Me three!" whined Ziva.

Gibbs chuckled.

"Well, we've just passed a town called Port Campbell and…" he paused as a sign came into view, "According to that sign, it's two kilometres to a spot called 'Bay of Islands.'

Abby studied her phone carefully before finally coming up for air.

"OK," she announced. "Turn into the Bay of Islands. There's a parking lot where you'll be able to turn around."

Gibbs put on the left indicator and turned down the path leading to the parking lot. Thankfully it was set out like a cul-de-sac and he was easily able to veer around the park and back onto the main road, turning back towards The Twelve Apostles.

"I've got a better idea," said Gibbs once they were back on the right path again. "How about we stop at Port Campbell, find a place to unhitch the camper, visit this gorge thingy then head back and have some lunch before picking up the camper again. It will save a lot of time and besides, I'm not too keen taking the camper along that road again in this wind."

With nods of agreement, the family settled in for the short trip back to Port Campbell.

It didn't take long to unhitch the camper and leave it secured at a designated rest stop. Without the pull of the heavy vehicle hindering their travels, they were quickly turning into the road that led to Loch Ard Gorge. Parking the car close to the walking trail, Gibbs waited for the family to exit before locking the car and following everyone down the graveled pathway.

Thankfully, in the hour or so that had passed since they were first in this area, the wind had dropped a little. While it still buffered them around, they didn't need to shout to be heard. As they reached the end the walking path, only a short thirty meters from the car park, they found themselves in front of a viewing station and, to the left, a set of steep stairs that round their way down the side of the cliff to the shore below.

"Daddy! Daddy!" squealed Ziva in delight. "I want to go down the stairs!"

"Of course you do," replied Gibbs dryly, the sarcasm almost visible on his lips.

Jenny laughed.

"Not looking forward to going down all those stairs?" she asked, grinning teasingly up at him.

"My knee certainly isn't," he replied gruffly.

"Come on Daddy, let's go," urged Ziva, pulling at Gibbs' arm.

"Wait a minute Sweetheart. Let's check out the view and read the information plaque first."

Ziva made no attempt to hide her scorn.

"But that's booooring," she replied, dragging out the word to emphasize her disdain.

"No, it's not," argued Gibbs. "Look at this!"

He lifted Ziva into his arms and held her forward.

"Can you see how tall these cliffs are?" he asked.

She nodded, staring around at the limestone cliffs that surrounded the small inlet.

"Abby told us that one of the survivors, the ship's apprentice -"

"Tom Pearce," added Abby, listening to Gibbs intently.

"Tom Peace," repeated Gibbs. "Abby told us that Tom climbed these cliffs in order to get help for himself and the other survivor."

"Eva Carmichael," supplied Abby.

Gibbs gave Abby a withering look.

"Can you imagine trying to climb these cliffs with no ropes or equipment?"

Gibbs watched at Ziva contemplated the question.

"Hmmm," she mused. "Well, if you went over there," she pointed towards the cliff on the far right, "you could easily get to the hollow in the cliff if the tide were out. From there you'd be able to use some of the plants to help pull yourself up."

Gibbs stared open mouthed as Ziva spoke. He turned to Jenny and simply shook his head in amazement.

"Well, you did ask, Hon," replied Jenny, grinning at the look on Gibbs' face.

"But…." continued Ziva. "We don't need to worry about that, because we've got stairs to go down."

She wriggled out of his grasp and he gently set her down on the wooden floor.

"Come on Daddy."

Taking his hand, she pulled him towards to the steps.

"When we get to the bottom I could show you how you might be able to climb the cliffs, then -"

"NO!"

His voice was much louder than he had intended. A few other tourists stopped and looked in his direction. Crouching down to Ziva's height, he held her gaze with his eyes.

"You are not to try and climb those cliffs. Understand?" he leveled her with his sternest look.

"But, you asked how you might be able to do it. I could show you," replied Ziva, unsure as to why Gibbs suddenly looked so pale.

"No, Sweetheart," repeated Gibbs. "I was just trying to imagine how hard it would have been for that man -"

"Tom Pearce," interjected Abby helpfully.

"Abby!" growled Gibbs in a low tone.

Abby shrugged and continued down the stairs.

Facing Ziva again, Gibbs got straight to the point.

"You are not to go anywhere near those cliffs. It looks like most of them are fenced off anyway but, if you find some that aren't, you do not climb them. Is that understood?"

Ziva let out a long suffering sigh as she said, "Yes, Daddy."

As they continued walking down the steep set of steps, Gibbs could see Ziva was thinking hard about something.

"What's up Sweetpea?" he asked, noticing the furrowing of her brows.

"Well," she said, ordering her words carefully, "what I don't get is, why did Tom Pearce climb the cliff in the first place?"

"It was to get help for himself and the other survivor. He knew the girl wouldn't be able to climb the cliffs so he needed to find someone who could rescue her."

"But, it would have been easy for them both to have climbed to the top," argued Ziva.

Gibbs frowned, wondering how Ziva was reaching her conclusions.

"How?" he finally asked.

"They could have just used these stairs," she replied simply.

A loud guffaw was heard behind them as Tony dramatically collapsed on the handrail laughing hysterically.

"Oh Ziva," he gasped between the laughter. "For someone so smart, you can pretty stupid at times."

"Move it, you," ordered Jenny taking Tony's hand pulling him away from the railing. Directing him down the stairs with a none too gentle swat to his backside, Jenny kept hold of the boy's hand until they were safely at the bottom of the stairs.

Turning his attention back to Ziva, Gibbs said gently, "Honey, these steps weren't here then. They've only been put here so tourists like us can walk to the bottom and see where they were washed onto the shore and imagine how hard it must have been for Tom and the rescuers to get help."

Ziva suddenly blushed as realization dawned and the logic of her statement sunk in.

"Oh yeah," she said quietly, embarrassed by her naivety. "Tony's right, I am stupid."

"No you're not," replied Gibbs firmly. "You're the smartest five year old I've ever known."

"Really?" she asked incredulously.

"Really!"

On reaching the sandy beach that surrounded the small enclosed inlet, the true magnitude of Tom and Eva's survival was realized. To have actually survived the wreck in the first place was one thing but, for Tom to have scaled the limestone cliffs, was quite remarkable.

Walking around the area, they soon arrived at the cave in which Tom and Eva has sheltered.

"Do you think we could walk into the cave and explore around?" asked Abby, peering longingly into the mysterious darkness.

Gibbs gave her a wry look.

"Judging by the wire fence and the large 'Keep Out' sign, I'd say not, Abs."

Abby sighed dramatically.

"I wonder why it's fenced off. It doesn't look dangerous or anything."

"Abby," replied Gibbs incredulously. "You can barely see two yards into the cave. How can you possibly tell whether it's dangerous or not? Besides, the simple task of wandering into an unknown cave is dangerous enough, especially in a foreign country. You have no idea of the terrain, the native wildlife..."

Abby sighed again, causing Gibbs to smirk at her.

"Do I need to make you promise me you won't go wandering into any unknown caves?" he asked his voice teasing and light.

Abby gave him a withering look before rolling her eyes.

"No," she said pointedly. "I'm sure I can muster some self restraint."

"Glad to hear it," replied Gibbs, giving her a light kiss on the cheek before turning around to see where Jenny had gone.

Spying her in the distance, sitting on the dry sand that edged the cliff walls, he headed in that direction and was soon standing next to her. He reached down and entwined his fingers through the loose strands of hair that had come away from ponytail she had casually tied that morning. Shielding her eyes from the glare of the sun, she looked up at him and smiled.

"Hey there handsome, care to join me?" she asked provocatively.

Without further urging, Gibbs stepped behind her and sat down, placing his legs either side until she was nestled in front of him, his arms wrapped around her waist.

"Don't mind if I do," he replied, leaning forward and placing a tantalizing kiss just below her earlobe.

"Jethro," she sighed softly. "You know what that does to me."

"Mmm-hmm," he murmured seductively, taking her earlobe between his teeth and giving it a gentle nip.

"Don't!" she admonished, slapping his outer leg and trying hard not to giggle.

"Spoil sport," he whispered before reluctantly pulling away and leaning his head on her shoulder instead.

They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes, enjoying the rare moment of solitude.

"What ya thinkin'?" asked Gibbs noticing Jenny was absorbed in deep contemplation.

"Nothing really," she replied, leaning back and snuggling into his embrace. "Just thinking how peaceful it is. It's quite sheltered down here. You can barely feel the wind."

Gibbs lifted his head as if checking her words.

"Yeah," he agreed. "Considering what it was like at The Twelve Apostles, it's hard to believe it's only a couple of hours later."

After a few more minutes of silence, Jenny said, "I wonder what's happening at home."

Gibbs rubbed his chin on her shoulder.

"Home or work?" he asked perceptively.

Jenny let out a small laugh.

"You know me so well," she replied, not surprised by his astuteness yet wishing sometimes he would just play dumb.

"Getting restless _Madam_ Director?" asked Gibbs teasingly then let out a pained grunt as she elbowed him in the ribs.

"No, not restless," she said thoughtfully. "Just curious I guess."

"It's a good sign," said Gibbs softly.

She turned to look at him.

"What is?"

"You, thinking about work," he replied. "It means you're getting ready to return."

She leaned back into him again.

"Yeah, I guess," she said softly. "Don't get me wrong, I'm loving the vacation. But, yeah, you're right, I am thinking about returning and what will need doing. I hope Vance isn't getting too comfortable," she added with a frown.

"Afraid you'll be usurped?" taunted Gibbs.

"That's a big word for you, Jethro," she retorted coolly, not taking the bait he was obviously dangling. "Don't strain somethi….ahhh!"

Suddenly finding herself pinned against Gibbs as he attacked her ribs mercilessly, she screamed and struggled for all she was worth. Thankfully the area was devoid of many tourists otherwise they may have drawn a crowd curious as to what was causing the small woman to scream so loudly. As it was, it didn't take long before Tony and Ziva were upon them, closely followed by Tim and Abby.

"What are you doing, Daddy?" asked Ziva, staring unashamedly as her parents wrestled like children.

"Tickling Mommy for being cheeky," replied Gibbs, showing no signs of stopping the attack.

"Leroy Jethro Gibbs!" yelled Jenny between gasps of air. "Stop! Now!"

By this stage Jenny was writhing all over Gibbs lap as his fingers continued to tickle her ruthlessly.

"Attack Dad!" yelled Abby, unable to resist coming to Jenny's aid.

With those two simple words, Gibbs suddenly found himself set upon by three giggling assailants.

Seeing Tim hesitating in the back ground, he shouted, "Help Tim! Take Abby!" and smiled as Tim gleefully joined in, grabbing Abby and beginning to tickle her in an attempt to pull her away from the main onslaught. With Abby distracted, Gibbs was able to restrain his three victims, knowing full well Jenny wasn't trying very hard to evade him.

With Tony and Ziva held securely in one arm, Gibbs laid his other on Jenny's back, pinning her down between his knees so her face was buried in his thigh.

"I surrender!" she called, her voice muffled by his jeans.

"What was that?" he asked, in mock surprise. "Did you say something, Hon?"

He laughed as she let out a loud, frustrated growl and tried desperately to punch him. After restraining his captives for another minute or so, he eventually loosened his grip on Ziva and Tony.

"Looks like Tim might need some help over there," he said to the two children. "Go and give him a hand."

Without hesitation, Tony and Ziva dived on top Tim and Abby. As to which one they were helping, Gibbs couldn't tell. Looking down at Jenny, face down, trapped between his legs and struggling frantically to get up, Gibbs smirked. Lifting one leg to release her, he added insult to injury by landing a firm swat to her upturned bottom and laughed loudly when she shrieked indignantly. Flipping her over, so she lay face up across his lap, he leaned down and took her mouth in a firm kiss leaving her in no doubt as to how much he loved and wanted her. As her hands began to roam through his hair, a loud voice interrupted their little moment.

"Yuck, you two! Anyone can see!"

The disgusted shout had, of course, come from Tony. It was quickly followed by Abby's cheeky retort, "Yeah, get a room!"

Looking down at Jenny, Gibbs gave her a final quick kiss.

"Whose idea was it to bring them along?" he asked, loud enough to be heard by the others.

"Yours," replied Abby as she, Tim, Tony and Ziva stood and brushed sand from their clothes.

Following suit, Gibbs looked at his watch.

"Time to head back to town, gang, and get some lunch. We've got a long drive ahead of us if we're going to reach Mount Gambier by tonight."

"Yay! The volcano town!" yelled Ziva skipping around excitedly.

"Extinct Volcano," reminded Tony, decidedly unimpressed by Ziva excitement.

"Whatever," she replied casually. "It's still a volcano."

"Is not," argued Tony.

"Is too," replied Ziva.

"Is not," continued Tony running towards the stairs.

"Is too," yelled Ziva, running after him.

The two children argued back and forth as they climbed the stairs to the parking lot. On reaching the car, Gibbs gave a shrill whistle.

"Enough!" he ordered, opening the car door allowing first Abby and Tim then Tony and Ziva to climb in.

As he closed the door he couldn't help but laugh when the argument continued in sign language.

Oh well, he thought, at least it's quiet.


	13. Next Stop, Mount Gambier

**AN - Thank you to all of you who have stuck with me on this story and waited patiently for the updates. I really appreciated all your messages and reviews. I think I'm 'back in the swing' and hopefully will update more quickly. I have uploaded some photos to the Facebook page showing the places our family is visiting. I currently have uploaded photos of The Twelve Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge and will add some photos of Mount Gambier. To find the Facebook page, simply type "Mindless Creations' into the FB search bar.**

 **Fire and Ice is very much a work in progress. I will update it, but it won't be as quickly as this one. That being said, I hope to update it soon.**

Chapter 13 - Next Stop, Mount Gambier

As the Gibbs' family drove around the small coastal town of Port Campbell they passed the usual cafes, fish and chip shops and even a pizza place.

"Pizza! Pizza!" chanted Tony from the back seat.

"Tony, you've had more than enough pizza lately," said Jenny with a sigh.

She turned to Gibbs.

"Let's find somewhere we can have a decent meal preferably with meat and vegetables. It's going to be late by the time we pull in tonight and I'm sure it will be a rushed take out dinner again. The kids need something decent in their stomachs."

"Pizza is decent," argued Tony. "It has meat and vegetables."

Jenny turned and looked at him with eyebrows raised.

"Not what I was meaning," she replied dryly.

Tony scowled and slumped back into his seat.

Finding a restaurant that served a lunch menu, Gibbs parked the car and the family clambered out.

"Can we go to the beach, Daddy?" asked Ziva excitedly. "It's just over there!"

Looking in the direction Ziva was pointing, Gibbs noted the child was correct. However, with a four hour car ride still ahead of them, not to mention the low temperatures and blustery wind, Gibbs shook his head quickly.

"We need to eat Ziva," he said, taking her hand as they crossed the road.

"What about after lunch?"

"Nope," he replied.

Ziva stopped and pulled on his arm.

"But I want to play in the sand," she whined.

"Ziva, you've had all morning playing in the sand and walking along the beach," said Gibbs, a touch of frustration evident in his tone. He pulled gently on her hand. "Come on, the rest of us are hungry."

"I'm not!" grumbled Tony. "Unless I can have pizza!"

"Yeah, me too," added Ziva.

Abby rolled her eyes and looked at Ziva.

"You only want pizza because Tony wants it and you're in a bad mood because you didn't get your own way."

"Am not!" growled Ziva, "You're the one in a bad mood!"

She poked out her tongue at Abby who responded in kind.

Well, aren't we a cheery bunch," remarked Jenny sarcastically, as the family stepped onto the curb. Opening the door, she glared at Ziva and Abby as they passed and added sternly, "Both of you behave!"

Once seated, they were handed menus. Within thirty seconds of opening his, Tony exclaimed, "Pizza! Look! They have pizza!"

"No Tony," replied Jenny, tiredly. "You need to order something with vegetables or salad. What about the chicken schnitzel?"

"Yuck!" remarked Tony.

Throwing the menu down on the table, he crossed his arms and pouted.

"Hey," warned Gibbs. "You're too old for that. Now either choose something or I'll choose for you unless, of course, you want me to take you to the car?"

Tony scowled but picked up the menu and eyed it disdainfully.

"Can I go to the car?" asked Ziva, putting down her menu. "I don't want anything from here either. I want to watch a DVD."

Abby and Tony both snorted with laughter.

"That's not what 'going to the car' means Ziva," said Abby, highlighting the phrase by making quotation marks in the air. Shaking her head while continuing to laugh, she returned to studying the menu.

Embarrassed that she'd obviously made a mistake, Ziva straightened her shoulders before saying, "I know that!"

"Oh yeah," taunted Abby, looking up at her sister. "Then what does it mean?"

Pausing only for a second, Ziva replied, "Well if you don't know, then I'm not telling you."

Once again Abby rolled her eyes and clicked her tongue annoyingly before returning to the menu.

Tired of the bickering between his girls, Gibbs tapped the table to get their attention.

"If you were misbehaving while we we're out somewhere, Ziva, and I said I'm going to take you to the car, it means I'm taking you there so I can spank your bottom in private," Gibbs explained.

Ziva's eyes widened in understanding.

"And, if the pair of you don't stop this constant bickering, I'll be taking both of you to the car and it definitely won't be to watch a DVD! Do I make myself clear?"

Ziva gulped.

"Yes Daddy."

"Abby?"

Abby looked up and eyed him incredulously.

"Oh you can't be serious?" she spluttered, her cheeks turning red as she spoke.

"Deadly!" replied Gibbs.

With her cheeks still aflame, Abby lowered her head and studied the menu, indicating she fully understood Gibbs' intention.

Turning away from the girls, Gibbs caught Jenny's eye and the two of them shared a knowing smile before returning their attention to their menus.

As the waitress came over with pen and pad ready, Gibbs ordered drinks.

"I want soda," complained Tony loudly when he heard his dad ordering iced water for the table.

"Me too," added Ziva.

Ignoring both children, Gibbs went on to order his meal, a rare porterhouse steak with chips and salad. Going around the table, each person called out their order. When the waitress eyed the children, waiting for their orders, Tony said, "Pizza please."

"Ah, forget that," said Jenny quickly. Turning to Tony she added, "Choose something or it's the schnitzel and salad."

Tony sighed dramatically, dropping the menu on the table.

"Fine! I'll have the fried chicken, chips and salad," he demanded sullenly.

The waitress looked over at Ziva.

"I'll have fish and salad please," replied Ziva, deciding it was in her best interests to order something of which her parents would approve.

When the waitress turned to leave, Gibbs stood. Crooking his finger at Tony he said simply, "With me," before turning abruptly and leaving the table.

Pushing back his chair, his face red with embarrassment, Tony solemnly followed his father to the main entrance. Stepping out onto the pavement, he stopped in front of his dad, his head bowed remorsefully.

Noting there was no-one around, Gibbs said sternly, "I've had about as much as I'm going to take, young man. Drop this attitude or I will take you to the car and I will give you a spanking. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes Sir," replied Tony quietly.

"Good! Now go inside and start behaving like an eleven year old," ordered Gibbs, opening the main door and waiting for Tony to enter the building.

As they sat down, Ziva watched Tony speculatively. When her gaze didn't wander, Tony looked up.

"What?" he snapped, annoyed at her staring.

"Did Daddy take you to the car?" she asked her eyes wide with curiosity.

"No," replied Tony. "We just went outside."

Ziva gasped.

"Did Daddy spank you just out there?" she asked, indicating the door with her eyes.

"No, Ziva," replied Tony wearily. "He didn't spank me, we just talked."

"Oh, that's OK then," she said sighing with relief.

Despite the cranky start, the rest of lunch went surprisingly well. When all meals were finished and everyone had visited the bathroom, the family left the restaurant and headed back to the car. The rest stop where they'd left the camper was only a few hundred yards away and while Gibbs prepared to hitch the camper to the car, Jenny took Ziva to the nearby playground.

"Didn't you want to go, Bud?" asked Gibbs, seeing Tony sitting quietly on the wooden fence post watching him intently.

Tony shook his head.

Gibbs looked over to Tim and Abby who both had their heads buried in their phones before turning back to Tony.

"You wanna give me a hand here?"

Tony looked up, his eyes alight with interest.

"Sure," he said, jumping down from the fence and jogging towards his dad.

As Tony stood next to him, Gibbs explained, "We have to make sure this part of the camper lines up with the tow bar. See this ball here?"

Gibbs pointed to the metal ball attached to the tow bar.

Tony nodded.

"Well, this has to align with that part of the camper," he said, pointing out the coupling head. "Now I want you to turn the jockey wheel until the coupling bar is sitting just above the tow ball.

Gibbs watched as Tony took the metal shaft and began turning it until the jockey wheel rose lifting the coupling bar to the correct height.

"Well done," praised Gibbs. "Now, as I pull the coupling head towards the ball, I want you to tell me when they are aligned, OK?"

Tony nodded and, bending to a near ninety degree angle, he watched carefully as Gibbs pulled the camper closer to the car.

"Stop!" he called. "I think that's it."

Gibbs eyed the connection.

"I think you're spot on," he said smiling. "Now, turn the jockey wheel in the other direction until the coupling head is sitting on top of the tow ball."

As Tony did as instructed, Gibbs gently maneuvered the coupling head until it was sitting snugly atop the tow bar.

"Well done!" repeated Gibbs.

He then showed Tony how to cross the safety chains and secure them correctly, patting the boy on the back when the job was completed.

"I'm going to get into the car and test the electrics," explained Gibbs as he opened the driver's side door. "I'll tell you which light should come on and I want you to confirm it."

When every break light, indicator light, and reversing light had been checked, Gibbs hopped out the car.

"Good job Tony," he praised with genuine pride. "We'll have you driving down the highway in no time."

"Can I?" asked Tony eagerly.

Gibbs laughed and ruffled the boy's hair. "Not just yet," he said affectionately.

Turning towards the playground, Gibbs let out a shrill whistle. When Jenny turned in his direction, he waved her over.

"I helped Dad hitch the camper," said Tony proudly as Jenny and Ziva jogged up to them.

"Did you?" remarked Jenny, pleased to see the excitement on her son's face. "Well done!"

Tony flushed red.

"Maybe you can help dad unhitch it when we get to Mount Gambier?" Jenny suggested.

Tony looked over towards Gibbs who nodded encouragingly.

"Yes!" he exclaimed, punching the air with his fist.

Within half an hour of the car purring along the coastal road, Tony, Ziva and Tim were all fast asleep. Abby, plugged into her iPod, stared out the window as the salt bush laden landscape rushed by. In the front, Jenny slouched lazily, her head lolling on the head rest. Gibbs reached out and laid his hand on her thigh. Opening her eyes, she turned and smiled at him.

"I really enjoyed spending that time with Tony earlier," said Gibbs thoughtfully.

Jenny placed her hand over his and rubbed her thumb along his wrist.

"I need to do that more often," Gibbs continued. "I keep telling him to grow up, act like an eleven year old, stop being silly yet I haven't really spent much time teaching him new responsibilities in order to help him grow up."

Gibbs let out a short laugh.

"You should've seen his face, Jen. He was as pleased as punch putting the camper on the tow bar. Something so simple and yet it brought him so much pleasure."

"I don't think he was the only one," replied Jenny knowingly.

Gibbs smiled and nodded.

"He's a good kid, Jen. He just needs someone to guide him in the right direction."

"He's got you, Hon," said Jenny, running her fingers through the graying tips of Gibbs' hair.

"Yeah, but what happens when we get back home?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well," continued Gibbs, sighing deeply. "You and I will be heading back to work. He and Ziva will be enrolled in school. I won't have the same amount of time with him as I did before. And we both know what our jobs are like."

Jenny twisted in her seat to gaze directly into the cobalt blues.

"You'll just have to make time. WE'LL just have to make time," she amended. "Sure, our jobs are demanding but not impossible. Others make it work, so can we. When there isn't a case, make the effort to be home on time and, when there is, I'll make sure the case loads are spread evenly among the teams."

"You mean to say they weren't before?" asked Gibbs, raising his eyebrows in mock consternation.

"Well," said Jenny, blushing slightly with guilt. "You are the best!"

Gibbs chuckled before sobering suddenly.

"Were," he replied. "Won't be the same team, Jen. Not without Tony or Ziva on board."

"You'll be fine," reassured Jenny. "You've trained plenty of recruits, you'll do it again."

Gibbs gave her a quick look.

"What?" she asked, not missing the unspoken question.

"Well, I was just thinking," he said slowly. "You could quit Director's job and go back into the field?"

Jenny laughed out loud.

"Not a chance, Jethro!" she said adamantly. "I like my job and besides, we'd end up killing each other trying to figure out who's on top."

Gibbs wriggled his eyebrows.

"I like it when you're on top," he said provocatively.

Jenny rolled her eyes.

"Not always," she replied, a hint of remembrance in her tone. "We've had our fair share of stand-offs, that's for sure."

When a few seconds of silence passed between then, Jenny reached out and combed through his hair again.

"You will be fine Jethro," she said reassuringly. "You've done it before, you can do it again."

She paused to grin cheekily at him, "If you're good, I might even let you choose your agents."

"Damn straight you will!" replied Gibbs vehemently. "I'm not gonna be stuck with some pro feminist probie on my hands. Already done that once!"

"Hah!" huffed Jenny incredulously. "And look how much you learnt from that experience."

"Pfft!" snorted Gibbs. "All I learnt was how to get through each day without wringing your neck!"

"I wasn't that bad was I?" asked Jenny with genuine curiosity.

Gibbs gave her a quick look.

"Nah, you were alright."

He paused briefly before adding, "Actually, you were better than alright. I've always said you're wasted in that office."

Lifting his hand, she brought it to her lips and kissed the knuckles softly.

"Thanks Hon, I had a great teacher."

As the sun began to sink lower in the sky, Gibbs pulled into the Blue Lake Holiday Park. The last half hour had seen Tony, Tim and Ziva awake from their nap and Abby drift into hers. Suffice to say, she wasn't too happy on being woken up only minutes after having fallen into a restful slumber.

"Abby!" called Tim for the third time in as many minutes. "Will you get out of the car and help me with the annex!"

"Stop yelling Timmy," whined Abby, her eyes half closed as she finally clambered from the car. "It's alright for you, you've had a sleep!"

"It's not my fault you were listening to your music," argued Tim. "You should have slept when the rest of us did."

"That's such a ridiculous thing to say," grouched Abby. "If I'd been tired then, I would have slept. I didn't feel tired until we were almost here."

"Yeah, well, that's not my fault either," replied Tim with a hint of finality. "We've got jobs to do and I need you to pull your weight.

"Geez! Who died and made you king!"

Abby stomped her way to the other side of the annex which was currently lying prostrate on the grass.

From his spot by the tow bar where he was showing Tony how to stabilize the camper, Gibbs looked up and eyed Abby sternly. Catching the look, Abby had the decency to look at least somewhat ashamed before bending down and picking up her corner of the canvas. Turning back to Tony, Gibbs wondered how long it would be before Abby pushed her luck too far. Putting his eldest out of his mind, he focused again on Tony as the boy slipped the wheel chocks in place, kicking them securely as Gibbs had shown him.

"That should do it," said Gibbs, patting Tony on the back. "Good job. I think we can safely say the camper is ready to enter."

On hearing this, Jenny unlocked the door and stepped inside. She stepped from side to side before poking her head out again and saying, "Well done Tony. Everything is level and secure."

As per Jenny's earlier prediction, dinner was a quick affair consisting of hamburgers from the Park's kiosk. As they ate, the family flipped through an assortment of pamphlets and brochures Gibbs had picked up from the gas station when he'd stopped briefly to fill up with fuel.

"Did you see the blue lake we drove around just before pulling into the holiday park?" asked Gibbs, thumbing through a caving brochure. "That's the remains of the volcanic eruption from about six thousand years ago. There are four craters but only two are filled with water."

"Hey I saw a brochure on that," said Tim, leaning over the table to grab the relevant pamphlet.

"Tim!" exclaimed Abby and Ziva together as Tim's arm accidentally knocked over Ziva's glass of juice, spilling the contents over the table.

Jenny jumped up and quickly grabbed the dish cloth from the sink while Gibbs picked up the roll of paper towels.

"Don't worry Tim," said Gibbs, tearing sheets from the roll and placing them over the spill. "Accidents happen."

"Yeah, accidents that nearly destroy my phone!" snapped Abby, her phone held aloft in her right hand. "Concentrate on what you're doing next time!" she accused sharply.

"Abby," warned Gibbs quietly, locking her eyes with a meaningful glare. "It was an accident."

Refusing to respond, Abby pursed her lips before standing abruptly and leaving the table. While she didn't quite slam the camper door behind her, it certainly closed with a none too gentle thud. The exasperated sigh emanating from Gibbs was calmed slightly when Jenny, gathering up the paper towels from Gibbs' hand, replaced them with the dish cloth before saying quietly, "I'll go and talk to her."

Entering the annex, Jenny found Abby slumped in one of the camp chairs, fiddling with the touch screen on her phone.

"Still working?" she asked, taking the chair next to the younger girl.

Abby nodded.

It didn't take a genius to see Abby was upset, whether it was with herself or still with Tim, Jenny wasn't sure. Reaching out, she gently placed a hand on Abby's arm, stilling the fingers that continued to examine the phone.

"Want to tell me what's wrong?" Jenny asked quietly.

Putting the phone on the floor next to her, Abby gathered her knees in her arms and hugged them to her chest, for all the world looking about twelve years old. Sighing heavily, she eventually said, "Nothing's wrong."

"Really?" replied Jenny in mock surprise. "Could have fooled me."

Abby absentmindedly twirled one pigtail with her finger before saying with a touch of annoyance, "I'm just… well, you know…"

Jenny frowned.

"Um…no, I don't," she replied slowly, trying to imagine what could be bothering the normally bubbly girl.

Abby rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"You know?" she said again emphasizing each word with pointed deliberation.

When Jenny continued to look confused, Abby let out a groan.

"Gee, come on, you're a woman!" she added irritably.

After a few seconds, Jenny finally felt the penny drop.

"Ohhhh," she said, dragging out the word. "That time of the month huh?"

When Abby nodded, Jenny smiled to herself.

"What?" asked Abby, annoyed by Jenny's grin.

"Oh, I'm just imagining having this conversation with Gibbs," remarked Jenny humorously.

"Then don't tell him!"

Abby's tone was both condescending and irritable.

"That, young lady, is not an option," replied Jenny finding it difficult to suppress the rising anger she felt due to Abby's obvious attitude. "Unless, of course, you wish to find yourself upended over Gibbs' knee because, trust me Abby, if I don't have some explanation for your rude behavior today that's exactly where you will end up. Pun intended," she added pointedly.

"I'm not Ziva!" retorted Abby angrily.

"No, you're not!," snapped Jenny. "Ziva would have had the good sense to stop by now!"

Before her temper got the better of her, Jenny silently counted to three.

"We all have off days Abby," she continued, amazed at how controlled her voice sounded. "And I fully understand the frustration of hormones. However, that doesn't give you the right to make everyone else's life miserable. Being snarky with people simply because you're feeling irritable is a sign of immaturity. If you want to be treated like an adult, Abby, then start acting like one."

Abby's eyes filled with tears as Jenny's words hit home.

"Gibbs is pretty much at the end of his patience with you," pressed on Jenny. "And I'm not kidding when I say he's about two seconds away from giving you the spanking you so richly deserve right now. So, if I were you, I'd march my butt in there and apologize to everyone, Tim especially, before you find sitting a distant memory. And then, I think it might be a good idea if you put yourself to bed for an early night."

Abby jerked her head up, ready to tell Jenny exactly what she could do with that last idea but was cut short when she saw the flash of anger in the normally serene green eyes. Bowing her head again, she felt her breath hitch as she swallowed back the tears.

"You're right," she said releasing a heavy sigh. "It isn't fair that I take my frustrations out everyone else."

She stood slowly before adding. "I'll go inside and apologize."

"Thank you," acknowledged Jenny, standing also.

Before opening the door, Abby turned around again.

"Are you really sending me to bed?" she asked, unsure of whether Jenny had been serious or not.

"No," replied Jenny.

But, before Abby was able to show any signs of relief, the older woman added, "You're putting yourself to bed."

Sensing Abby was about to ready herself for battle, Jenny cut her off saying, "It's either that or we go back to Gibbs' solution. Your choice Abs."

"Fine," replied Abby, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "I guess an early night will do me good."

"I thought you'd see reason," said Jenny, grinning to herself as she watched Abby open the door and step into the camper.


	14. Caves and Sinkholes

**Many thanks for all the wonderful reviews (and the reminders to update - haha!) I am trying to update faster but life is getting in the way as it usually does. Chapter 15 shouldn't' be too far away though.**

 **Things to Google for this chapter - 'Mount Gambier Blue Lake' and 'Umpherston Sinkhole'. The cave in this chapter isn't based on any one cave in or around Mount Gambier but you can Google the caves to get a general idea of what they were looking at.**

 **Hope you enjoy and please leave a review. You are amazing reviewers and I really appreciate that so many of you take the time to add a few words. Thank you.**

Chapter 14 - Caves and Sinkholes

"Ca-aves, Ca-aves, Ca-ves!"

Ziva, sitting at the table with the rest of the family, chanted her vote for what to do that day.

"Ziva!" admonished Jenny wearily. "We get it."

"There's a walking track around the lake, we could do that?" suggested Tony, studying the brochure he held in his hands.

"No, I want to go to the caves!" whined Ziva.

To highlight her point she began to chant the word again, her sing song voice grating on the nerves of those around the table.

"Enough!" growled Gibbs, turning his attention to the five year old.

Pouting slightly, Ziva closed her mouth and stared mutely ahead. It had only taken her two seconds to make her choice. Why was everyone else so slow!

"I vote for caves as well," said Tim, folding the brochure he held in his hand. He smiled when Ziva fixed him with a huge grin.

"Abby?" Gibbs turned his attention to his eldest who, unlike the others, was using her phone to explore the town's offerings.

Abby shrugged.

"Whatever," she said indifferently. "I don't really care."

She put her phone down on the table with a loud sigh.

Gibbs and Jenny exchanged a quick look. Last night, after everyone had turned in for the night, Jenny had explained to Gibbs the reason behind Abby's recent moodiness. Although sympathetic, Gibbs had held firm on his opinion.

"I understand that, Jen," he'd said, as they lay together in bed. "But it doesn't excuse her rudeness to other people. Hormones or not, I'll not put up with her snapping at everyone and making them feel miserable."

"I know," placated Jenny, slightly shifting her head where it rested on Gibbs' chest. "And I told her as much."

They lay silently for a minute, slowly drifting off. Suddenly, Jenny felt Gibbs' chest jolt as a snort of laughter echoed around the room.

"What?" she said, lifting her head slightly to meet his eyes.

"I'm just picturing the look Abby's would have given you when you sent her to bed early."

Jenny smiled.

"I didn't _send_ her to bed," she said, emphasising the word 'send'. "I just suggested that an early night might be preferable to your solution."

Gibbs raised one eyebrow.

"My solution?" he asked.

"Mmmm," murmured Jenny. "I could see your hand twitching."

Gibbs snorted again.

"Yeah," he agreed, running his hand through Jenny's hair. "I've been tempted. Well, I hope she took your words of advice because I'm just about at the end of my rope with her."

"Yes, told her that too," said Jenny, snuggling down and closing her eyes.

Reaching up to flick off the light, Gibbs shuffled down into the bed. With Jenny's head still resting on his chest, he closed his eyes. With hopes that his eldest might greet the dawn with a renewed sense of congeniality, Gibbs easily drifted off to sleep.

Now, levelling her with a warning glare, he felt his hopes quickly fading. Abby had awoken that morning, not with a renewed sense of congeniality but, rather, with a increased attitude of teenage angst.

"What?" she snapped, seeing his eyes boring into hers. "All I said was, I don't care what you decide to do."

"It's not what you said," began Gibbs. "It's the way you said it."

Abby looked away, refusing to meet Gibbs' eyes. He knew she was using every ounce of self control not to roll her eyes at him. Good thing too, he thought grimly.

Watching the interaction with interest, Ziva found the whole thing fascinating. Although Abby could be a pain at times, bossy even, she usually didn't show this much attitude towards her dad. It was nice, thought Ziva, to see someone else in trouble for a change; especially if that someone was Abby.

"These caves look really interesting," said Jenny, her voice light and cheery as she tried to dissipate the tension in the air. "They run regular tours throughout the day."

Allowing Jenny to change the subject, Gibbs looked at the page she was pointing out.

"What do we think?" he asked the table at large. "Shall we go to these ones?"

"Yes!" yelled Ziva enthusiastically, while Tim simply nodded his head.

"Tony?" asked Gibbs, turning to the boy.

"I guess," replied Tony quietly. "It'll be lit up and stuff won't it?"

"Usually," replied Gibbs, surprised at the boy's question. Tony had never shown a fear of the dark in the past. "And," he continued lightly, "judging by the pictures in this brochure, I'd hazard a guess you could probably perform brain surgery with all that lighting."

Tony gave a small smile and nodded his consent.

"Excellent," said Jenny brightly, standing up and stepping out from behind the table. "Tony, you need to brush your teeth and tie those shoe laces," she said, staring at the wayward cords which threatened to upend the eleven year old. "Ziva, you need to bring me your hair brush. I'm sure a bird has built a nest in your hair."

"Mommy!" cried Ziva indignantly, crossing her arms over her chest. "It has not!"

"Be that as it may, you still need to bring me your brush," replied Jenny distractedly, having already set her sights on filling water bottles and organising snacks.

With everyone managing to ready themselves in less than twenty minutes, they had piled into the car and set off for the day. The caves were a short distance out of town and Gibbs used the time to go through the basic ground rules, much to everyone's annoyance.

"Dad," grumbled Tony, as Gibbs began on the third rule. "We know the rules, we've heard them heaps of times."

"Just making sure," said Gibbs, eying his brood through the rear view mirror.

Thirty minutes later, with their tickets ready for the next guided tour, Gibbs and Jenny led the group into the café for a coffee.

"When can I start drinking coffee?" asked Tony, eying his familiar juice.

"When you're fifteen," replied Gibbs.

"Fifteen! That's ages away."

Grinning slightly, Gibbs handed Tony his cup and encouraged the boy to take a sip of the extra strong long black. Tony's eyes lit up and he eagerly took a large mouthful. As the bitter brew assaulted his taste buds, the adults laughed at the grimace that immediately appeared on Tony's face. Reaching for an empty disposable cup, Jenny gave it to the boy who quickly spat out the foul tasting liquid.

"Ugh! That's disgusting, Dad!" he exclaimed, grabbing a napkin and trying to scrub his tongue. "Why do you drink it?"

"Because I like it," replied Gibbs simply.

"Yuck!" reiterated Tony. "Forget fifteen. I don't think I'll ever want to drink that stuff."

"Mission accomplished," said Gibbs quietly, grinning at Jenny.

"Can I try some?" asked Ziva. Having seen Tony's reaction she was keen to make her own assessment.

Leaning across the table, Gibbs allowed the five year old to take a small sip. He watched and waited for a similar reaction. As Ziva swilled the brew around her mouth, he was surprised when, instead of spitting into the cup Jenny held out in readiness, the little girl swallowed and sighed in satisfaction.

"That was good," she replied, eyeing off his cup in hopes of a second sip.

"Mission failed," replied Jenny with a sideways grin at Gibbs.

"Can I have some more?" asked Ziva hopefully.

"Yep," replied Gibbs. "When you're fifteen."

Having jumped excitedly at the word 'yep', Ziva now slumped down disappointingly into her chair.

"That's ten years away," she grumbled crossly.

"How on earth could you like that stuff?" asked Tony incredulously.

Ziva shrugged.

"I think Ari used to let me have some," she replied.

Gibbs and Jenny looked up in surprise. It had been quite some time since Ziva had made reference to her old life.

"He used to have it with breakfast," she continued, staring ahead with unfocused eyes. "Ima would pour it into a small round pot and Ari would tip some into my little cup."

"You were pretty small to be having coffee Ziva," remarked Tim. "I was an adult before I began to enjoy the flavour. I didn't even like coffee flavoured candy or milkshakes.

"Let me guess," said Jenny grinning. "You developed a taste for it not long after coming to work for Gibbs?"

"Yes, how did you know?"

"Like I said, just a guess," replied Jenny, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Gibbs has that affect on people. If he doesn't drive them to drink, then it's usually caffeine addition."

"Hey!" interrupted Gibbs indignantly.

"Ooh, look at that," said Jenny, staring at her watch. "Time to go."

Shaking his head at her efforts to change the subject, Gibbs none the less allowed himself and the others to be shuffled out the door and into the queue for the tour.

****NCIS****

"Are you OK Tony?" asked Gibbs, watching the young boy carefully.

The tour had been going for only five minutes and Gibbs couldn't help but notice how tense Tony had been since they'd entered the cave. He thought back to when they had visited the crystal caves near Stillwater. Tony had been fine then, excited even. Yet, today, he looked worried and stressed and had, even now, reached up to hold Gibbs' hand, an action he usually avoided at all costs for fear of being called a 'baby'.

"I'm OK," replied the boy, his voice anything but convincing. "I just don't want to get lost. Would hate to break one of your rules," he added, grinning up at his father.

Gibbs returned the smile but wasn't reassured. Tony was definitely acting differently.

As the tour continued, Gibbs began to relax slightly as he felt Tony relaxing. When the boy finally let go of his hand and happily walked alongside Tim, Gibbs shrugged off his earlier concerns and continued the tour with Jenny's hand held in his instead.

They listened carefully to the tour guide as she explained how the stalagmites and stalactites were created along with the more recent history of the caves discovery. She then went onto explain how the volcanic eruption made massive changes to the geological structure of the area. One couple behind Gibbs and Jenny asked about the sinkhole they had recently visited and, if that was what she was referring to.

"What's a sinkhole?" asked Ziva, her voice unexpectedly echoing around cave.

"They start out as caves like these but erosion causes the roof or ceiling to collapse creating a large hole in the ground. Here, in Mount Gambier, we have a few of them but there are two in particular that have become tourist attractions. The Umpherston Sinkhole was so large that, in 1886 James Umpherston decided to turn it into a garden. It's still a garden today and well worth a visit. The other sinkhole, called Hell's Hole, is further out of town and is much deeper. So deep in fact that much of it is filled with water. It's a popular spot for diving enthusiasts."

"Can we go swimming in it?" asked Ziva.

"No," replied the tour guide. "It's much too deep and is quite dangerous unless you know what you're doing. However, I would recommend you visit the Umpherston Sinkhole. It's beautiful."

"How many sinkholes are in the region?" asked a lady towards the front.

"Hard to know really," answered the tour guide. "The land around here is limestone which is very soft and easily erodes. Sinkholes often appear. Some are very small. It's the deep ones like Hell's Hole that are the worry. There aren't many of them but when they collapse they can cause quite a few problems. There's a famous story about the sink hole on the road between Mount Gambier and Port MacDonnell. When the road collapsed back in the 1800s, it swallowed up a man along with his horse and cart. The man managed to scramble to safety but the horse and cart weren't so lucky."

"Oh poor horse!" exclaimed Abby. "Didn't anyone try to rescue it?"

"I'm sure they did," replied the tour guide. "Horses were quite valuable in those days. But the hole was so deep, the horse would have perished as it hit the bottom."

"Is it still down there?" asked Tony, his nose wrinkling in horror.

"Well, if there's anything left, it would just be bones by now," said the guide humorously.

Tony and Ziva didn't find this funny at all and looked at each other in horror.

"I would imagine many animals have met their fate down that and may other sinkholes in the region," continued the guide lightly. She then grinned at the two children. "Maybe even a human or two!"

She had meant it as a joke and, although Ziva smiled weakly, Tony simply looked aghast. Nuzzling closer to Tim, he felt relieved when Tim's hand rested on his shoulder.

The tour continued for on for a few minutes until they were once again stopped. This time the guide explained that they were at the deepest part of the cave. Tony listened as she rattled off numbers and measurements but, being in metric, he really didn't understand and it wasn't long before he switched off and began focusing on the brilliant lights around him. It truly was spectacular and he was beginning to enjoy the tour. That was until he caught the last word words spoken by the tour guide.

"...dark!"

Wondering what was about to happen, he was taken by surprise when the space around him went from dazzling bright to pitch black. Adrenalin race through every vein as Tony desperately searched for Tim who had been standing right next to him. But, when he frantically reached out, the space around him was empty. With his heart now banging against his chest, beads of sweat began to form on his forehead. His mouth felt dry and an overwhelming dizziness overtook him.

"Tim?"

Where had his voice gone? He'd tried to keep his voice low but there was nothing there. Why couldn't he speak? Suddenly the darkness became solid. It pressed against him, suffocatingly strong. His lungs felt tight and he could no longer feel them filling with air. Unable to cry out, unable to run, Tony did the only thing he thought might bring him some protection; he crouched as low to the ground as possible, tucked his chin to his chest and covered his head with his arms.

This was the site that greeted Gibbs when the light returned, illuminating the cave and turning night into day. The huddled figure on the ground immediately drew his attention.

"Tony!" he called, reaching the boy in two quick strides. He crouched down next to the small figure and placed his hand on the boy's back.

Tony jumped at the unexpected touch.

"Hey," said Gibbs softly. "It's just me, Dad."

"Dad?"

The voice was barely a whisper but, at least it was there.

"Yes Tony, Dad," repeated Gibbs. "What happened?"

Tony slowly opened his eyes and focused on the ground near his feet. Realizing the lights were back on, he carefully lifted his head and cautiously looked around him. Faces, both familiar and foreign stared back at him, eyes filled with concern, brows furrowed with worry. A wave of heat, beginning at his neck, slowly crept up his face and Tony turned to face his Dad, his eyes filled with a desperate need for escape.

Seeing the look, Gibbs reacted immediately. He straightened his legs before reaching down and plucking Tony into his arms. The trembling body beneath his touch shocked Gibbs as did the rapid heartbeat he could feel against his own chest. Turning abruptly, Gibbs carried Tony away from the onlookers and kept walking until he found a quiet spot; far enough away from the crowd but not too far as to get separated and lost.

Finding a bench specifically placed for those who struggled to walk, Gibbs sat down. With Tony still in his arms, he arranged the boy so he was sitting on his lap. Immediately, Tony leant into the warmth, not caring that he normally insisted he was too old for such intimacies.

"What happened Tony?" asked Gibbs softly, carding his fingers through the boy's hair.

"It went dark," murmured Tony. "I didn't know where you were and I couldn't find Tim."

"Didn't you hear the lady say she was only turning them off for a few seconds?" asked Gibbs, surprised at Tony's words.

He had never known Tony to be afraid of the dark. If anything, the boy usually welcomed the shadowy blackness, taking pleasure in scaring anyone gullible enough to fall for his ghoulish antics. This trembling child, now huddled in his arms, was very much out of character.

Tony shook his head in answer.

"I was looking around and wasn't really listening to her," he croaked.

Not asking anything further for the time being, Gibbs held Tony close and rocked gently, waiting for the trembling to stop. As Tony's heartbeat returned to a normal rhythm, Gibbs kissed the top of the sweaty head and murmured softly, "Feeling a bit better?"

He felt the head nod against his chest. Then, almost as though he'd suddenly realized where he was, Gibbs felt Tony pull away and attempt to scramble off his lap.

"It's OK, Tony," he soothed gently. "You don't have to get off."

"But, I'm not a baby," replied Tony, using the phrase Gibbs was quickly learning to hate.

"Accepting comfort doesn't make you a baby, Tony," said Gibbs quietly.

Despite the reassurance, Tony continued pulling away until he was standing next to Gibbs' knee rather than sitting on it. Not wanting to push the issue, Gibbs allowed the boy his freedom, but insisted on reaching out and holding Tony's hands. He knew Tony needed human touch right now and he was determined to give it.

"I understand the sudden darkness came as a bit of a shock," continued Gibbs, understating Tony's reaction so as to not embarrass the boy further. "But, you're not normally bothered by the dark. What was different this time?"

Tony shrugged. Then, realizing his Dad was waiting for an answer he said, "I don't know. It's never happened before."

"What hasn't happened before?" asked Gibbs.

"Well…everything seemed to…I don't know…swirl around me," replied Tony slowly, searching for the right words. "I felt like my heart was going to leap out of my mouth and I got all hot and sweaty. I felt like I was going to fall and I couldn't breathe properly."

Gibbs nodded encouragingly as Tony spoke. He knew, from experience, what Tony was describing was a panic or anxiety attack. He'd certainly had his own fair share, particularly following the news of Shannon and Kelly's deaths. The anxiety he'd experienced matched exactly what Tony was referring to. What Gibbs didn't understand was why Tony had experienced the attack.

"Tony, do you know why you suddenly felt that way? Did you remember something that caused those feelings to suddenly happen?"

He felt Tony stiffen next to him and the boy's eyes flickered to the left, glazing over slightly. Then, as quickly as it appeared, the eyes refocused and Tony was back with him.

"No," he replied, shaking his head to emphasize his response.

"Are you sure?" asked Gibbs, leveling Tony with an inquiring look.

This time the boy just nodded.

Sighing deeply, Gibbs decided to let the matter rest. He knew Tony was holding back on something. But, short of forcing him to speak, Gibbs knew he wasn't going to get anything further out of the eleven year old. He just hoped, in time, Tony would feel confident enough to share what had triggered the anxiety attack.

"Can we go back to the tour?" asked Tony.

"Sure," replied Gibbs, sighing again in wake of the finality of Tony's words. The conversation was apparently over and Tony was ready to move on.

Standing, Gibbs put his arm around Tony's shoulder and the two of them retraced their steps, quickly catching up with the rest of the group. As they shuffled their way through the crowd and back to those who were familiar, Tony ducked out from under Gibbs' arm and went to stand next to Tim. Gibbs, feeling a little dejected, sought solace in Jenny's concerned look and the gentle hand that, once again, took hold of his.

The remainder of the tour continued without incident and, as they circled back to their original path, the tour guide directed the group to follow the track back to the opening. It was during this time, Gibbs filled in Jenny with the details of what had transpired between himself and Tony.

"He'll talk when he's ready," advised Jenny, when Gibbs finally finished. "You know Tony, he has to process the information first, make sense of it in his own head. Once he's done that, he'll open up."

"Yeah, I know," conceded Gibbs. "It's just so out of character for him though. He normally loves being in the dark."

"Hon, we're all still reeling from the shooting. I find myself second guessing things I used to do automatically. Maybe, for Tony, being in the dark brings back what happened?" Her voice lifted at the end of her sentence turning her words into a question. A question, like so many others she had asked herself, remained unanswered.

"Hmmm," murmured Gibbs pensively. "Maybe."

They decided to take the advice of the tour guide and spent the afternoon visiting the Umpherston Sinkhole. Finding a bakery, they bought sandwiches, cakes and drinks and enjoyed a wonderful few hours picnicking and exploring the incredible gardens. The serenity of their surrounds lifted their spirits and, by the time they returned to the camping ground, everyone was feeling calm and refreshed.

At five thirty, Jenny managed to convince Ziva to have a shower and get ready for bed, explaining she would then have some free time after dinner to do something fun. As she herded the five year old towards the bathroom, Abby stuck her head in through the camper door.

"Tim and I are going for a walk," she announced, looking vaguely around the space until her eyes found Jenny's.

"OK, but don't be long," reminded Jenny. "Dinner will be ready around six thirty."

"Yep, we'll be back," replied Abby, closing the door as she spoke.

Following the graveled road that wound its way around the camping ground, Abby and Tim walked in comfortable silence, occasionally speaking when something they saw prompted them comment. Passing the entrance, Abby and Tim took the road that led out of the park. Knowing this road joined onto the main road which encircled the Blue Lake, the two of them set off in search of a viewing platform where they could enjoy the views the Blue Lake had to offer. It wasn't long before they came across a wooden bench seat overlooking the lake and promptly took a seat.

The lake, although currently a murky grey, was said to be a brilliant blue during the summer months. Abby pulled out her phone and quickly searched for images of the lake.

"It's a pity it doesn't look like this at the moment," she said, showing Tim a photo of the lake taken in March.

"It's still amazing though," replied Tim, returning his focus to the view. "To think this was once a volcano."

"Do you think what that woman said today was true?" asked Abby, her mind already having wandered in a new direction.

"What about?" asked Tim, unphased by the randomness of Abby's question.

"About the animals and the sinkholes?" clarified Abby. "Do you think many animals do fall down the holes and get trapped?"

Tim thought for a moment.

"Um…probably," he finally said. "Although, I wouldn't think there'd be a huge amount. Most animals would be aware of it. It would possibly only be animals running from predators who are caught off guard or-"

"Baby animals!" cried Abby, cutting off Tim's rambling.

"Um…yeah…I guess," replied Tim.

"O.M.G!" exclaimed Abby, spelling out the well known acronym. "We have to check them Timmy. What if there's a baby kangaroo stuck down one of them or a baby koala?"

"Abby," groaned Tim, knowing exactly where Abby was taking the conversation. "We can't check every sinkhole in Mount Gambier. Be reasonable."

"Be reasonable?" Abby almost shouted the words. "Be reasonable?"

She jumped to her feet.

"Is it reasonable that we leave baby animals to die a horrible death down a sinkhole, possibly injured, bleeding out?"

Tim turned away and rolled his eyes.

"I saw that Timothy McGee!" admonished Abby. "Don't you care about the wildlife of this country?"

"Oh course I do," replied Tim, his voice thick with frustration. "But think about it Abby. There are probably hundreds of sinkholes around here. What are you going to do, visit every one?"

"If I have to!" replied Abby determinedly .

Tim stood and glared at Abby.

"You're being completely irrational Abby. For one, we don't know where all the sinkholes are, two, it's incredibly dangerous to just wander around looking for them and three…." He paused, thinking of a third argument. Finally he said, "It's nearly six fifteen and we need to get back for dinner."

Turning abruptly, he started up the road back to their camper. After a few seconds he heard Abby's boots clopping on the road as she ran to catch up to him.

"Wait Tim," she said, her voice now calm and sounding far more reasonable.

Tim stopped and leveled her with an exasperated stare.

"What?" he asked grumpily.

"Let's go after dinner," she suggested. "I checked on Google maps. There's a sinkhole not far from here, walking distance in fact. We can at least go and check out one can't we?" Her green eyes stared imploringly into his own, reminding him of a forlorn puppy.

"Abby, it's nearly dark now," he began calmly. "There's no way Gibbs is going to allow us to go wandering around in the dark looking for a sinkhole that probably doesn't have anything in it anyway."

"Gibbs?" said Abby in surprise. "Who said anything about telling Gibbs?"

Tim stared at her incredulously before turning around and continuing his walk.

"Now you are talking crazy," he said over his shoulder, not bothering to look at her.

Left standing alone, Abby huffed and frowned.

"Trust Tim to be such a goody two shoes", she muttered to herself before breaking out into a run in order to catch up to him again.

Deciding she wasn't going to get anywhere if she continued arguing with him, Abby chose to let the subject drop….for now. She knew she'd be able to manipulate Tim into doing what she wanted. She'd always managed to before. She would just pick her time and start on him again. One way or another, Abby was determined to visit, if not all, then at least one sinkhole to ensure it was empty of any wildlife. And, she concluded decidedly, she'd make sure Tim was there to accompany her.


	15. Clearing Up a Few Misunderstandings

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Chapter 15 - Clearing Up a Few Misunderstandings

"What ya doin'?"

Sidling into their small bedroom, Abby spotted Tim stretched out on his bed.

Having finished the dinner dishes, Tim had decided to retreat to his room rather than join the others in a game of Snakes and Ladders. He didn't feel much like playing and he certainly wasn't in the mood for another round with Abby. Seeing her now, standing at the door, he refocused on his book and hoped to distract her with some of the interesting information he was reading. Either that, or bore her enough that she'd leave the room.

"Reading," he said. "This book is fascinating. It gives the geological history of this area and the formation, eruption and dormancy of the volcano."

"Does it give any information regarding the sinkholes?" asked Abby, entering the room fully and sitting down on her own bed.

Tim sighed. Laying the book aside, he sat up and glared at Abby.

"Don't start that again," he warned quietly. "I gave you my answer earlier. I think it'd be insane to go wandering around, in the dark, looking for sinkholes. Anything could happen."

To Tim's surprise, Abby nodded her head.

"I know, and I agree with you," she said cheerfully.

"Really?" he asked, not sure he'd heard correctly.

"Really," she repeated. "Going at night is crazy and dangerous. Plus we'd never see anything anyway. So, how about we leave first thing in the morning?"

Tim groaned and flopped down on the bed.

"Abby!"

The word was strangled as it escaped through gritted teeth.

"What?" she asked incredulously. "I said I agree with you."

"No, you just agreed that going in the dark was a bad idea," pointed out Tim. "I think going at all, is a bad idea."

"But you heard what that woman said. How can you sit there knowing that hundreds of innocent animals might be trapped and slowly starving to death? Don't you have any compassion?"

Abby fixed him with her most endearing puppy dog eyes.

"Not gonna work Abby," replied Tim, trying his hardest to remain immune to Abby's look.

Abby huffed and crossed her arms.

"Fine then," she said crossly. "I thought you cared more than that. I thought you cared about the environment, the native fauna, not to mention the fact, I thought you cared about me!"

Her final statement, truly meant to guilt Tim into changing his mind, was complimented with a tiny moistening in the corner of her eyes.

Not missing the sparkle of tears, Tim rose again to a sitting position and took Abby's hands in his.

"I do care about you Abbs," he said kindly. "That's why I'm saying no.

When she turned to look away, Tim grabbed hold of the book he'd been reading and flicked through the pages.

"Look," he said, finally finding the page he wanted. "If you don't believe me, read what this book has to say. The land around sinkholes is incredibly unstable. They could collapse at any time. That's why the ones set up for tourists have designated walking tracks and areas which are fenced off. You can't just go wandering around them, disturbing the structures."

"So we just let the baby animals die?" snapped Abby.

"Oh for goodness sake," growled Tim, shutting the book with bang and placing it back on the bed. He mentally counted to ten. Abby could be so frustrating at times. "Animals aren't stupid. They're more intune to their surrounds than we are. And, if by chance one happened to fall in, I'm sure it would find a way to get out."

Abby opened her mouth to argue, but Tim cut her off.

"Think of all those stories of animals that fall into icy rivers or lakes, or the ones that fall off boats into the ocean. The owners jump in after them, frantically trying to save them. How do they so often end?"

Tim looked sternly at Abby but her mouth was set and she refused to answer.

"Exactly!" replied Tim. "You know very well what usually happens. The animal makes it own way to safety and the owner often drowns or freezes to death. Animals can take care of themselves. And have been doing for centuries."

Despite Tim's excellent reasoning, Abby wasn't in the mood for logical argument.

"Well," she said, standing up and putting her hands on her hips. "You might be prepared to let innocent animals die a horrible death, but I'm certainly not. I'll leave tomorrow morning at first light. And, if you really care Timothy McGee, you'll come with me."

"Don't be an idiot, Abby," replied Tim crossly. "I won't let you put your own life at risk over some stupid crusade. If you won't listen to me, then you can battle it out with Gibbs."

"What?" snapped Abby angrily. "You'd tell Gibbs just because I won't do what you tell me to do?"

"No," retorted Tim. "I'll tell Gibbs because you won't listen to reason!"

Abby felt the anger surge through her chest. Already on hyper-sensory overdrive due to the hormones playing havoc with her body, Tim's refusal to do what she wanted only incensed her further. And now, with his threat of telling Gibbs with whom she knew would never let her go, Abby's temper hit an all time high.

Anger turned to tears of frustration as she stamped her foot and glared at the man who she knew, had she been thinking rationally, only had her best interests at heart. But Abby wasn't thinking rationally. She was angry, hurt, frustrated and wound as tightly as a violin string.

"How dare you Timothy McGee!" she spat venomously. "You don't have a caring bone in your body. You're nothing but a hypocritical mama's boy. And I'll tell you something else…"

"No, I think you've said quite enough already."

Gibbs stepped into the small bedroom, filling what little space there was with an ominous foreboding. If he wasn't so angry with Abby he would have laughed at the way both she and Tim instantly paled at the sight of his unexpected appearance.

Instead, he turned to Tim, and in a voice sounding far calmer than he felt, said, "Tim, can you leave us please?"

All too eager to leave the room, Tim shot up from the bed and had just taken a step when he heard Abby give a loud, cry of frustration.

Turning abruptly, he watched as she threw her hands into the air and rounded on Gibbs. Stunned by her audacity, Tim found himself staring, open mouthed, as Abby's tirade continued.

"Oh why!" she yelled, tears now falling freely down her face. "So you can have a go at me as well! Well no thanks! I don't need to listen to this!"

Too stunned to move, Gibbs and Tim watched as Abby pushed past them both and stormed out of the room. Quickly regaining his senses, Gibbs strode after her while Tim followed, bringing up the rear. As the three of them entered the kitchen/lounge area of the camper, the shocked faces of Jenny, Ziva and Tony greeted them, Tony's hand still raised in mid shake of the dice.

"I'm more than capable of making my own decisions," continued Abby angrily, not caring who was listening. "I'm an adult. If I want to go to some friggen sinkhole, I damn well will!"

As she grabbed hold of the camper door about ready to wrench it open, Gibbs closed his hand over hers and pulled her away.

"Let me go!" she yelled. "I've had enough."

"You're not the only one!" said Gibbs, the softness of his voice only increasing the danger it held.

"Ah, right," said Jenny, trying to keep her voice light. "I think we might go for a walk."

Standing up from the table she looked at Tony and Ziva only to find the two children were staring awe struck at Abby and Gibbs.

"Tony! Ziva!" she called again. "Come on, we're going for a walk."

Hearing their names called, both children look at their mother.

"But it's dark outside," said Tony. "Where can we go?"

"There's a games room about 200 yards away," suggested Tim. "I saw it today. We can go there if you like?"

"Great idea, Tim," replied Jenny. "Come on Ziva, grab your coat."

"But I'm in my pyjamas!" objected Ziva.

"Not to worry," said Jenny briskly, trying to bundle the child in her coat. "No one will notice."

"Mommy!" whined Ziva, annoyed at the rough and sudden treatment. "Why do we have to go? I want to see Abby get into trouble with Daddy."

"The only trouble you'll be seeing young lady," growled Jenny,"is your own if you don't get moving."

"Come on Ziva," said Tim, hoisting the five year old into his arms. "I'm pretty sure I saw a ping pong table in the games room. How about we have a game?"

"I don't even know what ping pong is?" argued Ziva, still determined to watch the sparks fly between her elder sister and father.

"That's why I'm going to teach you," replied Tim.

Stepping past a fuming Abby who was securely held by an equally angry Gibbs, Tim reached out to open the camper door. Lifting his eyes briefly, he tried to acknowledge Abby with a look of sympathy but the latter was determined to avoid any eye contact. Giving up on offering any support, Tim stepped out of the camper.

"But Timmy…." whined Ziva, her voice fading as Tim carried her through the annex and out into the night air.

With Tony now following Tim, Jenny paused to look at Gibbs.

"S'OK," he said quietly. "We'll be fine. You just take care of the others."

Jenny looked from Abby back to Gibbs again, worry etched on her face.

Leaning towards her, Gibbs placed a gentle kiss on her cheek.

"Go," he said softly. "I'll call you later."

Sighing, Jenny turned and exited the camper.

With the area now vacated, Gibbs turned to Abby and released her arm.

"I'm going to my room to read for a bit," said Gibbs calmly. "When you're ready to be civil and discuss what just happened, come and see me. Until then, find a space to cool off but do NOT leave this camper."

When Abby refused to respond, Gibbs turned and headed to the back room.

"I mean it Abby," he called over his shoulder. "One toe out the annex and sitting will be a distant memory for you."

****NCIS****

Reaching the door of the games room, Jenny and Tim were relieved to see the place was empty. Entering the wooden building, Tony's eyes lit up when he saw a pool table in the center of the room.

"Cool!" he exclaimed, running towards the wall and quickly taking down the triangle and two cue sticks. "Come on Tim, let's have a game."

Noticing Ziva had made a beeline for a makeshift bowling alley and was already setting up the pins for a game, Tim turned back towards Tony and happily played a game of pool. After the first game was finished, Tim took the time to teach Ziva how to play table tennis. Her excellent hand/eye coordination made her a quick learner and it wasn't long before she and Tony were challenging Tim and Jenny to a match. When the adults eventually conceded defeat, Ziva and Tony continued playing while Tim and Jenny took a seat on a nearby bench.

"So what happened to set Abby off?" asked Jenny.

She'd been curious since they'd arrived but, not wanting to discuss the issue in front of Ziva particularly, she'd refrained from asking. Now, with both children occupied, she took the opportunity.

When Tim finished explaining about the sinkholes and Abby's desire to rescue the native wildlife, Jenny shook her head in exasperation.

"That girl and her crusades," she said affectionately. "If only she would give as much concern to her own welfare as she does to other creatures."

Tim nodded but didn't speak.

"This is not your fault Tim," said Jenny firmly, seeing the guilt wavering in Tim's eyes. "You did the right thing in standing up to her."

"I know," replied Tim, sighing heavily. "I just wish she hadn't blown up so much. She was completely unreasonable."

"Yes, well, that's not your fault either," reminded Jenny. "I'm afraid hormones played a big part in that one. Not that it excuses Abby's behavior. She knows better than to take her moods out on those around her."

"I wondered if that might have been the problem," said Tim. "When we were together, I used to disappear during her really bad days. She was even worse than my sister and that's saying something."

Jenny smiled at Tim's attempt to lighten the mood.

"She doesn't normally go off at Gibbs though," he added, remembering the way Abby had spoken to the man she usually respected above all others.

"Well, I don't think couped up together helps things," replied Jenny. "Travelling as we do, there's not a lot of personal space. And, I'd imagine it's especially hard for you and Abby as you're both used to living on your own and having your own privacy."

Tim nodded.

"Yeah, it is hard sometimes," he said softly, not wanting to hurt anyone's feeling but not wanting to lie either.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, watching Tony and Ziva play their own version of table tennis.

"She's in a lot of trouble isn't she?"

Tim's voice penetrated the comfortable silence and Jenny looked towards him.

"Thought so," replied Tim, seeing his question confirmed in Jenny's gaze.

"Are you worried about her?" asked Jenny, concern edging her voice.

"No, not really," replied Tim. "I just….well…I know what happened last time Abby did something stupid."

Jenny nodded slowly, crossing one leg over the other.

"And, well….I just don't like to think of her being in trouble," said Tim, shuffling uncomfortably on the bench.

"You're talking about Albury?" asked Jenny. "When Abby got drunk?"

"Yes," replied Tim quietly. "I know Gibbs punished her. I mean…I know Gibbs…um…."

"He spanked her," finished Jenny, smiling at the awkwardness Tim was displaying.

"Yeah, that," said Tim, his face flushing red.

"Tim," began Jenny, turning in her seat so she was facing the younger man. "Abby and Gibbs have a special relationship and a special understanding. She sees Gibbs as a father and I know he looks upon her as his daughter. Much in the same way, he sees you as his son."

If possible, Tim's face flushed an even deeper red.

"A few months back, Abby told Gibbs of her need for him to take a more, shall we say, parental role in their relationship. She gave Gibbs permission to spank her when he feels it's necessary."

Tim looked at Jenny and frowned.

"Gave permission?" he queried.

"Yes," confirmed Jenny. "I know that may sound a bit strange but"

"No, it's not that," interrupted Tim. "I know how Abby feels about that sort of thing. When we were together, she wanted me to spank her as well. It's just that I didn't realize she had given Gibbs permission to punish her. I thought he'd made that decision."

"No, not at all," replied Jenny, shaking her head. "Gibbs may be a firm believer in corporal punishment when it's needed but he's also very aware that Abby is an adult. Head slaps aside, he's not one to physically discipline adults regardless of how much they may need it. But, like I said, he and Abby have discussed this at length and, because it's something she has expressed a need for, he was willing to give it a try. Even after their talk, when it came to the incident in Albury, he still made sure he had her complete consent."

"I….I didn't realize that," said Tim, taking in Jenny's words.

"Does that change something for you?" asked Jenny curiously.

"Um…yeah, kind of," replied Tim.

When Jenny waited silently for him to continue Tim found himself flushing once again.

"Well, it's just that…I kind of thought Gibbs had made the decision to spank Abby and… well, if he was willing to spank her...being an adult and all... I...well...I was a bit…concerned he might…um…"

"Spank you?" finished Jenny, unable to stand Tim's floundering any longer.

"Yeah," concluded Tim, relieved that Jenny had understood what he had been trying to say.

"Tim, Gibbs isn't about to spank you, I promise," said Jenny grinning at the man's sigh of relief.

"He threatened to…once," said Tim.

Jenny frowned.

"When?"

"After the shooting," explained Tim. "You know how I went back to my place instead of going to Gibbs' house as he'd asked and Davidson took me hostage?"

Jenny nodded.

"Well, when it was all over, Gibbs and I talked about it and he said the only reason I was sitting comfortably was that things all worked out for the best."

Jenny smiled.

"I don't think he was really being serious Tim," she said gently. "I think that's his way of showing you how much he loves and cares for you."

She paused to look at him. "I take it you wouldn't want Gibbs to spank you?"

"God no," replied Tim blushing at the thought. "I'd die of embarrassment. The heads slaps are bad enough but at least they're kind of a man to man thing, but the thought of Gibbs spanking me?"

He finished the thought with a horrified shudder.

"Has this been worrying you?" asked Jenny.

"A little," confessed Tim. "I kind of knew he was probably joking when he threatened me after the shooting, but there's been that part of me that just wasn't sure. And, well, knowing he had spanked Abby for doing something stupid, I guess I did worry it was something he might do."

"Oh Tim," said Jenny, trying to keep a straight face. "You should have spoken to Gibbs about this, ages ago."

"No way!" exclaimed Tim. "It was embarrassing enough having him threaten it."

"But you could have saved yourself all this worry and angst," replied Jenny.

Putting her hand on his arm, Jenny spoke earnestly.

"Tim, Gibbs would never do anything without your consent. Even with Abby's consent he was still a little hesitant. As much as he might appear gruff and come over all 'papa bear like', he would never punish you physically. Yes, he sees you as his son, but he also acknowledges you as a man. Subjecting you to physical punishment would never be on his agenda. You do believe me right?"

Tim nodded.

"Yeah, I do," he replied. "And, knowing now that Abby has specifically given Gibbs permission to punish her in that way, I feel a lot better."

"Pleased to hear it," said Jenny smiling. "I still think you should talk to Gibbs though. He needs to know you've been worried about this."

"No," said Tim, shaking his head. "I'd been too embarrassed. He'd think I was an idiot."

"No he wouldn't," assured Jenny. "He'd appreciate the honesty."

Deciding not to push Tim any further, Jenny turned her attention to the two children. It appeared, from the way the small ball was flying through the air, they'd tired of the standard rules and were now engaged in a game of traditional tennis. Standing up, she stretched out her arm and caught the ball in mid flight.

"Awe Mom!" complained Tony loudly. "I was just about to slam the ball over Ziva's head."

"Yes, that was fairly obviously," replied Jenny dryly. "I think we might need to revisit the rules of table tennis."

"Can we play a match again?" asked Ziva. "You and me against Timmy and Tony?"

"What a great idea," said Jenny cheerfully. "Come on Tim. Let's see how well you and Tony can cope with losing."

Laughing at the indignant look on Tony's face, Jenny high fived Ziva before eagerly taking her place next to the small girl.

****NCIS****

Sitting on the bed, Gibbs heard shuffling footsteps make their way down the small hallway to his and Jenny's room. It wasn't long before a tear stained face appeared around the door. Despite his resolve to stay stern, the sight of an upset Abby always tugged at his heart.

"Come 'ere," he said, stand and holding out his arms.

She rushed towards him and fell into the welcome hug, renewed sobs wetting his shirt. Holding her close, he rubbed her back soothingly and gently stroked her hair. When the sobs finally lessened to an occasional sniffle, Gibbs returned to his seat on the bed, pulling Abby down next to him. Reaching for the tissue box, he offered it to her and waited until she'd blown her nose and wiped her tears.

With the tissue now scrunched in her hand, Abby stared into her lap, shame and misery etched on her face.

"I know it doesn't help," she said softly. "But I'm really sorry Gibbs. I…I don't know what came over me."

"You were out of control Abbs," replied Gibbs. "Although, for what it's worth, it does help."

He lifted her chin until she was looking directly at him.

"It doesn't excuse your behaviour though," he added sternly. "What were you and Tim arguing about?"

As Abby tried to explain her point of view regarding the sinkholes and what she wanted to do to save the animals, Gibbs found himself falling more in line with Tim's opinion with every word. By the end of Abby's crusade speech, Gibbs was ready to jump into the nearest sinkhole himself. Not to save some poor, unfortunate creature but to save his aching ears!

Taking a deep breath, he chose his words carefully.

"Abby," he began slowly. "Have you really listened to yourself regarding this hair brained scheme?"

Abby's eyes shot up to meet Gibbs'.

"Hair brained?" she repeated, her voice sounding both shocked and hurt. "It's not hair brained Gibbs. It's about protecting the wildlife of this country."

"Abby, it's about doing something completely ridiculous and trying to drag an unwilling hostage into the same danger," retorted Gibbs, trying desperately to control his rising anger.

"You just don't understand," huffed Abby, turning her body to face away from him.

"You bet your boots I don't," agreed Gibbs. "Abby, I understand your desire to protect and help those who need protecting and helping but, this is insane. You don't even know if what that woman said was just a joke!"

"Even if it was Gibbs," argued Abby. "It doesn't mean it's not true. And it makes sense that they could fall down."

"So you're willing to risk both your life and Tim's for the sake of something that _could_ happened?" reasoned Gibbs.

Looking away, Abby refused to answer Gibbs' question.

"No one understands," she mumbled defensively. "Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who cares."

"That's not true Abby and you know it," replied Gibbs.

With no further comment from Abby, the two sat in silence for a minute while both contemplated their next move.

"Is this really only about saving injured wildlife Abby?" asked Gibbs, breaking the silence. "I think there's more going on. You don't normally lose control like you did earlier. And, as I said before, you were very out of control. It's just not like you."

He moved closer and put his hand on top of hers.

"What else is bothering you Abbs," he said gently.

"I don't know what's wrong!" wailed Abby and, as if the flood gates had been reopened, she once again dissolved into heart-wrenching sobs.

Putting his arm around her, Gibbs waited patiently until Abby, now scrunching several more tissues in her hand, was ready to talk again. Grabbing an empty plastic shopping bag that was lying on some of Jenny's things, Gibbs held it out for Abby to dispose of the tissues.

"Maybe it _is_ just hormonal," suggested Abby, once her tears had subsided. "But it's not normally this bad. I just feel like everyone's annoying me at the moment and I know they're not, it's just how I feel. Every time someone says something I end up jumping on them and turning into something much worse than they meant."

She threw up her hands in a gesture of surrender.

"Oh I don't know. Maybe I'm just going mad!"

Gibbs smiled at her comment.

"You're not going mad Abbs," he said comfortingly. "But, maybe you've had enough of this trip?"

"What do you mean?" asked Abby, a little concerned at his words.

"Well, you and Tim are used to your own space," explained Gibbs. "When you combine the time we were together due to hiding from Eli and Senior and now with the vacation, neither of you has really had any breathing space for a month or so. Maybe you've reach your limit? I mean, there's no reason why you have to stay with us. You could return home and go back to work if you wanted."

"Don't you want me here anymore?" asked Abby, her eyes threatening to overflow once again. "I thought we were a family?"

"We are a family Abby," said Gibbs gently. "I'm just saying that I'd understand if you wanted your own space again."

"I can't believe you'd say that," said Abby, her voice filled with hurt and anger.

She stood abruptly and faced the man she'd come to see as her father.

"I can't believe you'd just send me back!"

"Ab-" began Gibbs but his words were cut off as Abby spiralled into a tirade of hurt and confusion.

"I thought you loved me! I thought you wanted me here! And now I find out you just want to get rid of me!"

"I don-" tried Gibbs again

"Well fine then!" yelled Abby, throwing her hands in the air again. "If that's what you want, I will go home. I'll catch the next available flight. You won't have to worry about putting up with -"

Her words were cut short as Gibbs took hold of her hand and unceremoniously pull her over his knee. Raising his hand high, he landed a half dozen searing smacks to Abby's backside.

"Let me go!" squealed Abby, kicking her legs and squirming in an attempt to free herself.

Ignoring the indignant yells and cries of protest, Gibbs continued to pepper the well positioned bottom until the angry wails turned into repentant sobs as Abby finally released the pent up stress and tensions she'd been holding on to.

Swapping his hand from an instrument of pain to one of comfort, Gibbs gently rubbed along Abby's back and waited until his eldest had finally cried out all her frustrations and lay limply over his lap.

"You ready to let me speak now?" asked Gibbs, brushing the damp hair away from Abby's face. "Or do I need to continue letting my hand do the talking."

"No, no more," sniffed Abby, pushing herself off Gibbs' lap. She settled herself carefully on the bed next to him.

"I'm sorry," she heard herself say again. "I just thought - "

"I know what you just thought," interrupted Gibbs. "That's why I spanked you. If I can't make you understand how loved and wanted you are with my words, then I'll convey that message with my hand on your backside."

Abby gave a watery smile.

"Message received, loud and clear!"

"Good!" replied Gibbs. "I wasn't, for one minute, suggesting you had to leave or that I _wanted_ you to leave, I was simply giving you that option should that be your choice. All you had to do was say, 'No thank you Gibbs, I'm happy to stay'. You certainly didn't need to get all worked up and pitch a fit."

Abby raised her head and said sheepishly, "No thank you Gibbs, I'm happy to stay."

Gibbs chuckled. "See, wasn't that easier than a trip over my knee?"

Abby nodded.

"So, you're not sick of me then?" she asked in a small voice. "You're not fed up with having me around?"

Gibbs levelled her with a hardened glare.

"Do I need to let my hand answer that question?"

Abby shook her head vigorously.

"No one's sick of you Abbs," said Gibbs firmly. "We might be a little sick of the attitude and nastiness you've been throwing around lately, but not of you. We love you and care for you. You're family Abbs, no one can take that away."

She leaned into his shoulder and he put his arm around her.

"And this animal crusade thingy you've got going on in that head of yours?" said Gibbs sternly. "It stops now. Got it?"

Abby opened her mouth to protest, but the sting and heat radiating from her bottom encouraged her to close it again, very quickly.

"I mean it Abbs. I do not want you going anywhere near a sinkhole. That's an order."

"Got it," she said, nodding her compliance.

Shuffling her body her along the bed, Abby curled up next to Gibbs and put her head on his lap.

"I'm so tired," she said, yawning as she spoke.

"Hmmm," replied Gibbs, carding his fingers through the lose strands of hair that had broken free from her pigtails. "It's amazing how exhausting a spanking can be."

He felt her half hearted attempt to softly punch his leg.

"Not…what I…meant," she said sleepily.

Remaining silent, Gibbs carefully pulled off the bands securing the pigtails and gently freed each one, combing through the soft, black hair until it was lying flat against her head. Hearing the regular breathing sounds, Gibbs knew she had fallen asleep. He lifted her head carefully and extracted his body out from under her, grabbing a pillow and placing where his head had just been. He then bent over and untied her boots, pulling them off her feet. He watched as she shuffled into a more comfortable position, securing herself in the middle of the bed before he noiselessly slipped out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Stepping into the kitchen area, Gibbs filled the coffee machine before grabbing his phone and texting Jenny. He then flicked on the TV, collapsing onto the bench seat. Closing his eyes, he didn't even stay awake long enough to hear the coffee machine announcing its completion.


	16. Reconnecting Roles

**AN - I know - finally an update! LOL!**

 **Thanks for sticking with me and for all the wonderful reviews and reminders.**

Chapter 16 – Reconnecting Roles

Gibbs looked up as the voices of his family neared the caravan.

"You and Mom definitely cheated," he heard Tony say. "That last ball didn't even hit the table!"

"Doesn't matter," argued Tim. "The second you hit it back, you declared it 'in'. Not our fault your ball was wide."

Opening the caravan door, Gibbs was greeted by four smiling, flushed faces.

"Phew! That's a long walk when you're carrying this little lump," said Tim, handing Ziva over to Gibbs when the older man held out his arms.

"I'm not a lump, Timmy," complained Ziva indignantly as Gibbs placed her on the floor.

Tim smiled and ruffled his sister's hair, the latter scowling and straightening it quickly.

"Where's Abby?" called Ziva, skipping towards the bedroom she shared with her siblings. Peering in, she saw it was empty.

"She's in the back room," called Gibbs. "And no, you may not go in there. Abby's sleeping."

"Did she get into trouble? Did you spank her?" asked Ziva, a little too enthusiastically for Gibbs' liking.

"None of your business, young lady," he scolded gently. "Now come away from there and tell me what you've been up to. What's this about Mommy cheating?"

Gibbs grinned at Jenny who immediately rolled her eyes and moved passed him to put the kettle on to boil.

"Any one for tea?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Yes please," replied Tim sitting down on the bench seat behind the table.

"Tony, Ziva, would you like a hot chocolate?"

"Thanks Mom," said Tony, squeezing in next to Tim.

Jenny turned to look for Ziva. Seeing the little girl trying to peek into the back bedroom, she crept up behind her and lifted her into the air.

"What did Daddy just tell you to do?" she asked sternly, twisting around and placing Ziva on the floor but holding her arm firmly.

"I just wanted to see if Abby was OK," replied Ziva, trying to pull out of her Mother's grasp.

"That's not what I ask you? What did Daddy just tell you to do?"

Ziva sighed and looked at the floor.

"To come away from your room," she said sulkily.

"Exactly!" replied Jenny.

Turning the little girl around, she sent her towards the kitchen with a firm swat to her bottom. "Next time, do as your told."

With an air of indignation, Ziva crawled up onto the seat next to Gibbs and snuggled into his side.

"Don't come to me looking for sympathy, Missy," replied Gibbs. "I would have done the same as Mommy."

Putting his arm around Ziva waist, he lifted her onto his lap.

"Mommy asked if you'd like a hot chocolate?" he said as the five year old leaned back into his chest.

"Yes please," replied Ziva, the swat soon forgotten with the promise of the chocolatey treat.

Staring at the TV, Tim picked up the remote and flicked through the channels looking for something suitable to watch. After going through each channel twice, he settled on a sit-com and the family fell into silence as they watched the show and drank their drinks. It wasn't long before Gibbs felt Ziva relax against his chest and he knew she had fallen asleep. Turing towards Tony, he could see the young boy wasn't far behind, his green eyes glazed over as they stared at the TV.

"Time for bed, Buddy," he said, gently nuzzling the boy's arm.

Standing, Gibbs watched as Jenny kissed Tony and hugged him goodnight before he led the boy to the bedroom, balancing a sleeping Ziva on his shoulder.

Once Ziva was tucked in bed, Gibbs leaned down and pulled the covers up around Tony's chin.

"Feels like a cold one tonight," he said, tickling Tony around the neck as he pretended to straighten the covers. "Better stay rugged up."

Tony giggled and squirmed away.

"Da-ad!" he complained, pushing his father's hands away. "That tickles!"

"Oh, does it?" replied Gibbs, his feigned shock not fooling anyone.

He looked down at Tony and was pleased to see the boy was calm and relaxed. As much as he wanted to ask him about the events in the cave earlier today, he didn't want to bring up any bad memories and so decided to let it pass. He would ask him tomorrow after Tony had managed a good night's sleep.

Leaning down, he kissed Tony on the forehead.

"Night son," he said gently. "Sleep well"

"Night Dad," replied Tony.

As Gibbs neared the door, Tony called out.

"Dad?"

Pausing, Gibbs turned around.

"Yes Tony?"

"Um…can you please….can you please leave our door open and the light on in the hall?"

Tony's voice was unsure and sounded very small. Gibbs retraced his steps until he was sitting again on his son's bed.

"Are you OK?" asked Gibbs, gently stroking back the boy's hair.

"Yeah, I'm fine," replied Tony. "It's just that…well… Ziva might wake up and, if it's dark, she might feel scared."

"Ziva huh?" asked Gibbs, not fooled for a second.

"Yeah," replied Tony. "She's only five and sometimes it can get scary at night when it's dark."

Gibbs leaned down and kissed Tony's head again.

"That's very thoughtful of you, Tony. I'm sure Ziva appreciates your concern. I can do those things for you."

"Thanks Dad," replied Tony, the relief evident in his tone.

Gibbs watched as the young boy turned over towards the wall and pulled the covers over his shoulders. Patting Tony gently on the shoulder, Gibbs turned and headed out the door, ensuring it was left slightly open and the light in the hall remained on.

With the credits of the show now rolling across the screen, Tim stood and gathered up the mugs. Placing them in the sink, he turned on the tap ready to wash them.

"Leave them, Tim," said Jenny. "We can do them in the morning with our breakfast things."

Tim nodded then, having announced he was going to have a shower and go to bed, he left to gather his things.

"I think I might head off too," said Jenny, nuzzling her head into Gibbs' neck. "It's been a long day."

Turning to her, Gibbs explained what had just transpired between himself and Tony.

"There's definitely something bothering him," ended Gibbs. "This is the first time he's asked for us to leave the light on."

"Hmmm, I agree with you," replied Jenny. "He wasn't too keen on walking in the dark tonight either. I'd say something in the cave definitely triggered a memory. Although, it's only been less than week since that incident at Apollo Bay. Maybe that's still on his mind?"

Jenny shuddered; the picture of a frightened Tony cradling a dead rabbit forever etched in her memory.

Gibbs put his arms around her. "I don't think the cave triggered the memory of that night, although I do think they are both related. Tony feels things very deeply, I mean look at what he revealed about his father the night the rabbit was shot. Who knows what's going on in his mind. He bottles things up and it's not until something like what happened today in the caves or the incident with the rabbit takes place, that he finally unveils a little of what he's thinking."

"So how do we get him to open up?" asked Jenny.

"I don't think we can," replied Gibbs. "Only he can decide when he's ready to talk. I guess we just have to be there when he is ready."

"I guess," agreed Jenny nodding sombrely. "And what about our other problem child?" she added indicating the back bedroom with her head. "Any luck there?"

Gibbs laughed.

"Well, hopefully she's rethinking her stance on animal conservation and the pitfalls of the sinkhole."

When Jenny gave him a quizzical look, Gibbs explained Abby's latest crusade. He was just finishing when Tim emerged from the bathroom.

"I hope you managed to convince her," said Tim as he stopped by the table, towel in hand and hair still wet from the shower..

"Me too," replied Gibbs. "Hey, do me a favour Tim? If she mentions anything at all about going to the sink holes, please tell me straight away."

"Of course," replied Tim. "I was going to anyway but you overhead the argument we were having. That was me telling her I was going to tell you what she planned to do."

"Good man," praised Gibbs. "Well, hopefully she will see how ridiculous this whole thing is and neither of us will need to worry further."

"Saving animals isn't ridiculous!"

Jenny, Gibbs and Tim all looked up to see a sleepy Abby emerging from the small passageway.

"No, it isn't," agreed Gibbs. "But if it's a choice between your life and theirs, I'll choose you every time."

Sliding into the seat next to Gibbs, Abby laid her head on his shoulder.

"I mean it Abbs," said Gibbs sternly. "Unless we are with you, all sinkholes are out of bounds. Am I making myself clear or do I need to repeat our earlier discussion?"

"Yes, I get it," said Abby with a long sigh.

"Good," replied Gibbs grimly. "Because I might have to go searching for a wooden spoon if I have to repeat that lesson."

Gibbs was sure he sensed Abby rolling her eyes.

"I mean it Abbs," he found himself saying again. "If my hand isn't making a firm enough impression on you, I might need to seek out reinforcements."

"You won't, I promise," said Abby, yawning loudly and standing up. She walked to the bench and flicked on the kettle. "And you don't need to worry. Your hand makes a pretty good impression, trust me!"

"Good!" said Gibbs with a smirk. "But I'm just warning you should you find that brain of yours decides to try and corrupt you into doing something dangerous."

As Tim made his way past Abby to go to the bedroom, Abby stretched out her arm and stopped him.

"I'm sorry Timmy," she said with sincerity. "You were right. I was just being bitchy and nasty."

Tim smiled. Leaning into her, he gave a her a soft peck on the temple.

"S'OK Abby," he said gently. "Sorry you ended up in trouble."

"Meh," replied Abby unperturbed by the evenings event's. "I deserved it."

As she poured the water into her mug of hot chocolate she added, "Abby's rule 'Numero Quatro' – Never lose your shit when Gibbs is trying to explain something!"

As the laughter echoed around the table, Abby returned to her seat, hot chocolate in hand.

****NCIS****

At 3am, the peaceful silence of the camper was suddenly interrupted by a terrified scream.

"Let me out! Let me out!"

Immediately alert, Gibbs bolted out of bed and ran into the small bedroom shared by his four children. Knowing instantly which one needed his help, he flipped on the light and crouch down by Tony's bed.

Writhing uncontrollably, Tony continued screaming.

"Let me out! I can't breath!"

"It's OK Tony," soothed Gibbs, his arms gripping his son and hauling him out of bed and onto his lap. "It's OK. You're safe. It's just a dream."

Worried by the pounding heart that almost beat out of the boy's chest, Gibbs wrapped his arms around Tony and cradle him close, stroking back the wet strands of sweaty hair. So distracted by his son's state, he didn't notice Jenny race into the room and administer the same comfort to a crying Ziva who had awoken to Tony's terrified screams. As Jenny bounced around the room with a distraught Ziva wrapped around her waist and neck, Gibbs returned his focus to Tony who had finally stopped screaming but was gripping so tightly to Gibbs' shirt, the felt sure the t-shirt material would tear under the pressure.

Following Jenny's example, Gibbs reached down and lifted Tony into his arms, the two of them now padding around the room as if soothing crying toddlers. Seeing Abby and Tim staring at them bleary eyed, Gibbs directed Jenny towards their room, leaving the older two in peace to try and fall back to sleep.

Sitting down on the bed, Gibbs arranged Tony so the boy was snuggled into him like a baby koala. He rocked gently and waited until the frightened cries and thumping heart-beat slowly diminished before he attempted to speak.

"Shh," he said gently, patting Tony on the back. "It's OK. It was just a bad dream."

When, after a full ten minutes of gentle soothing, Tony finally calmed enough to lay silent in his Father's arms, Gibbs leaned down and murmured into the boy's ear. "Do you want to talk about it."

Tony shrugged and Gibbs knew this was his way of saying, 'Yes, but I need a bit more time'. Allowing him that time, Gibbs looked up and saw Jenny had managed to rock Ziva back to sleep. As he watched her exit the room in order to put the little girl back to bed, Gibbs rubbed tender circles on Tony's back and waited until Jenny returned, her arms now empty but her face etched with worry.

Sitting down next to Gibbs, Jenny reached over and brushed the hair away from Tony's face. The gentle action made him look up and he suddenly reached for Jenny's arms. Surprised by Tony's action, she returned the gesture and welcomed her son on to her lap as he snuggled into her, his head nestled against the softness of her breasts. It was the first time Tony had sought her out when upset and her heart soared with the maternal love she felt for this young boy who trusted her to make things right.

"I…I was stuck…stuck in a...h-h-hole," stammered Tony, the hitching of his breath making it difficult for him to speak. "I c-c-couldn't get out and….and it w-w-was so d-d-ark."

Tightening his grip around Jenny's neck, Tony pushed himself closer into her. Despite not thinking it possible, Jenny wrapped her arms more firmly around her son and buried her head onto his. The small movement had her hair falling across Tony's face and, within seconds, Tony had gripped it around his fingers, the childish gesture remembered from a time many years before. The action seem to calm him further and he continued to speak.

"Then water suddenly began pouring in and….I couldn't get out. I kept screaming b-b-but no one heard me." He gripped the soft hair tighter and, although Jenny winced slightly, she didn't pull away. "The water was getting d-d-deeper and I couldn't swim. I felt myself go under and that's when I woke up."

"Oh baby," crooned Jenny and she rubbed soothing circles on Tony's back. "That's a terrible dream. But, it's OK because it's just a dream and you're safe."

Listening to her words, Tony released his grip on her hair and wrapped his arm around Jenny's shoulder.

"It was just a dream," he recited, as if to convince himself.

"Yes, honey. Just a dream," Jenny repeated.

After a few more minutes of comforting silence, Tony pulled away slightly and sat back. He rubbed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"It was horrible," he said, fresh tears reforming where the old ones had been wiped away.

"It sounds horrible," sympathised Jenny. "But it's over now baby and you're safe."

Tony nodded as he took in the words.

"I think I was remembering what that lady told us about that man falling into the sink hole," said Tony slowly. "I bet he was scared too."

"I'm sure he would have been," said Gibbs, stroking the back of Tony's head. "But do you remember what else she told us? He managed to get out, he was safe."

Tony nodded.

"I bet others didn't, though," he said with concern. "Dad, you don't think Abby will really try and rescue the animals in the sinkholes, do you?"

Gibbs frowned.

"What makes you think Abby is going to do that?" he asked.

"I heard her telling Tim and then I heard them arguing just before we left tonight." With his voice suddenly hitching again, Tony said fearfully, "Please don't let her go, please stop her from going Dad. I'm really scared she might die."

"Oh Buddy," exclaimed Gibbs, his heart breaking for the fear in his son's voice. "Abby's not going down any sinkholes. I promise you."

"You sure?" Tony wasn't convinced.

"He's sure."

Tony looked up and saw Abby in the doorway. Her own face was streaked with tears. Having heard the conversation through the thin walls of the camper, she knew she had to reassure her little brother. Coming into the room, she sat on the bed next to him and put her hand on his shoulder.

"I promise you Tony," she said with all the sincerity she could muster. "Cross my heart and hope to die."

"Don't say that," said Tony, a small hint of laughter in his voice.

Abby smiled.

"Cross my heart and promise to live," she said, leaning down and kissing him on the head.

Tony nodded and, for the first time since waking from the terrible dream, he finally seemed at peace. Yawning, he snuggled into Jenny again.

"You ready to go back to bed?" she asked softly.

"Mmhmm," he murmured.

"You're a bit heavier than Ziva, Buddy," she said smiling. "I don't think I can carry you. Unless you want Dad to put you into bed?"

"That's OK," said Tony, slowly extracting himself out of Jenny's arms. "I can walk. But can you tuck me in?"

"Of course," replied Jenny, putting her arm around Tony and leading him out of the bedroom.

With just Gibbs and Abby remaining, the latter couldn't help feeling ashamed of her recent behaviour.

"I had no idea he knew what was going on," she said, her hands twisting in her lap.

Gibbs shuffled over and put his arm around Abby shoulder.

"You couldn't have known," he said softly. "But it just shows how much they are listening. Both of them. They look up to you Abby, especially Ziva. As much as she can be annoying, she just wants to be like her big sister. Do you know the other day, Jenny and I caught her calling something 'crap'?"

Abby looked up and shook her head.

"Any ideas who she heard that from?" Gibbs asked, the eyebrows raised in mock surprise.

Abby blushed. "I'm sorry. I forget sometimes that they're around."

"I know Abbs," said Gibbs sympathetically. "And they need to learn what's acceptable and what's not as well. But, it's important to realize that little ears are always listening. You and Tim are wonderful role models to Tony and Ziva and I understand that, at times, it can be frustrating and difficult. I guess all I'm asking is that you be a little more aware of who is around and who might be listening. OK?"

Abby nodded.

"Sometimes, I miss them so much," she suddenly blurted out, tears falling freely again. "Especially Tony. I miss my big brother. He was the one I used to go to for advice. He was the one who had my back. All through the stuff with Ari and then with Mikel, Tony was there for me. He protected me."

Burying her head in Gibbs' shoulder, Abby cried earnestly. "I just miss him so much."

Feeling the heat suddenly forming behind his own eyes, Gibbs closed them tightly. "I know Abbs, I know. I miss him too. I guess I kind of forget how much he meant to you as the adult Tony. I have a second chance with the young Tony but, for you, it's very different."

"It's kind of the same with Ziva too. It was so hard losing Kate, I felt like I lost a big sister and then Ziva came along and I know it took a while for us to get close but we were just getting there Gibbs. We were starting to go out and do stuff together. I don't mean to sound selfish and I'm sorry if I do, I just wish none of this had happened and things could go back to the way they were."

Gibbs listened as Abby poured out her heart. He'd been so wrapped up in the way his own life had changed, he hadn't really thought about how the events had effected Abby. And Tim, he thought. He too must miss Tony and Ziva. His whole career had been changed because of the events that fateful day.

Putting his finger under Abby's chin, he lifted her face to meet his.

"I'm sorry Abbs. I know we've spoken before of how things have changed but I never really thought about the impact this would have on you and Tim. I just assumed you'd adapt to the way things are now. I'm really proud of how both of you have coped with all the changes." He stopped speaking for a moment as Jenny re-entered the room and took a seat on the bed. Taking Jenny's hand, he added, "Your lives have been turned upside down as much as ours."

"What's going to happen when we get back home?" asked Abby.

"I honestly don't know Abbs," replied Gibbs. "I'll try to keep things as normal as possible. Jen will return to work as the Director and I'm assuming you'll take up your post in the lab?" He waited while she confirmed this with a small nod of her head. "As for Tim; Well, I hope he'll take up the position of second in command and I guess I'll have my hands full training up a new team." Gibbs finished with a smile.

"What about Tony and Ziva?" she asked.

"Oh, they'll get the fun of experiencing school all over again," replied Jenny smiling.

Abby grimaced.

"Thank goodness the adult Tony will never know that," she added with a laugh. "I think the first time was painful enough."

"Well, hopefully things will be different this time," said Gibbs. "For a start, he won't be sent away to boarding school. Can't afford it!"

"Pretty sure he hated it anyway," replied Abby.

"Yeah, I got that feeling too," said Gibbs dryly.

In the short silence that followed, Gibbs gently pulled Abby towards him.

"None of us knows what will happen Abbs," he said with a sigh. "All we can do is make the most of what we have. You know a very smart person once told me, 'Live life to the fullest because it only happens once'."

Abby smiled.

"I got that from a fortune cookie," she admitted.

"I know," replied Gibbs. "You gave it to me. I keep it in my wallet along with 'Today's new friend is tomorrow's family'.

"That's the one I gave you when we first met," said Abby, smiling at the memory. "I can't believe you still have it."

"Of course I do, Abbs," said Gibbs. He leaned in and kissed her forehead. "You gave it to me."

Nestling into his embrace, Abby sighed contentedly. "I love you Gibbs," she said softly.

"Love you too Abbs."

After several minutes, Abby finally stirred.

"I guess I better get back to bed," she said, suppressing a yawn. "Thanks for the chat, Gibbs. I'm glad I can still do that."

"Always Abbs," replied Gibbs sincerely. "I'm always here for you."

"I know."

As Abby left the room, Gibbs turned to Jenny.

"Tony OK?" he asked.

"Yeah," she replied standing up and stretching. "He was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow."

Walking around the bed, she climbed in between the sheets and waited for Gibbs to do the same. With his arms around her and her back pressed against his chest, Jenny sighed contentedly.

"That's the first time Tony has ever turned to me during a nightmare," she said, rubbing her fingers along Gibbs' arm as he held her close. "It felt good."

Gibbs kissed her neck in response.

"You know what you said earlier to Abby, about making things as normal as possible?" she said sleepily.

"Mmm," murmured Gibbs.

"I think for the first time, I actually believe that might happened. It's taking time, Jethro but, slowly and surely, we are figuring out our place in this crazy family."

"Who you calling crazy," teased Gibbs, nibbling at her ear.

She swatted behind her, hitting his shoulder.

"You know what I mean!" she growled.

He tightened his arm around her.

"Yeah I do," he said. "This trip will pass quickly enough and before we know it, reality will hit.

"Hmmm," sighed Jenny. "And I'll be back to being your boss again."

She laughed as Gibbs groaned.

"Lord help me!" he wailed into the pillow.

Rolling over, she ticked his ribs.

"Ha!" she scoffed. "Be afraid Jethro, be very afraid!"

Grabbing her hands to stop the tickling, he lifted them to his mouth and gently nipped at her fingers.

"Afraid? Never. Respectful? Always."

"Aww, Jethro. What a beautiful thing to say."

Jenny leaned in and kissed him gently on the lips.

"You, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, are a true gentleman."

Returning the kiss and deepening it with passion, Gibbs held tightly to the woman he loved. Despite the challenges they faced on a daily basis; right here, right now, Gibbs felt all was right in his world.


	17. Roses and Thorns

**AN: Again, I don't mean to sound like I'm just repeating myself but please know how important all your wonderful reviews are to me. To know you are still reading and enjoying this story keeps me motivated. And the occasional nagging helps too - hey Jenny Wren! :P LOL!**

 **For this chapter please look up Cave Gardens, Mt Gambier for an inside view of where our family is today.**

 **For the next chapter our family will be travelling up the Coorong. A very special and unique part of South Australia and the setting for the Australian Classic children's novel "Storm Boy". For those of you who have 'liked' the Facebook page "Mindless Creations" can view a couple of videos about the Coorong and even watch the movie adaptation of "Storm Boy". This was made in 1977 so is probably older than some of you - lol! But it is a classic movie and quite a moving story.**

Chapter 17 - Roses and Thorns

"Augh! Abby!" exclaimed Tim in exasperation. "You are doing my head in!"

"But it makes sense Tim," argued Abby.

"It makes no sense at all!"

Clutching his head in frustration, Tim felt ready to scream.

"Besides, do you really think anyone would listen? Do you think it would even make a difference?"

Abby stared at Tim as if he'd just suggested they should go game hunting on the Savannah.

"I can't believe you would even think that. Have you not listened to a word I've been saying?"

"Trying to," muttered Tim under his breath.

"I heard that Timothy McGee!" growled Abby, narrowing her eyes in the way that always spelled trouble for Tim.

Frustrated to the core, Tim stood up and stepped away from Abby who was currently sitting on a camp chair under the large gum tree that sheltered their site. Fervently wishing he'd gone for a walk with Jenny and the younger two, he decided to try and seek shelter in the camper.

"Don't you walk away from me!" Abby called as Tim headed towards the annex.

"Abby, I've had enough of this!"

Stopping in his tracks, Tim turned and faced her directly.

"If you want to write to the Australian Government and suggest they cover all the sink holes in the area, then go ahead. I seriously don't care anymore. But…"

Here, Tim paused to gather his temper. The last hour had been spent with Abby chewing his ear on ways she could help the wildlife from falling to their certain deaths down the local sinkholes.

"….if you think for one second I'm going to go along with your ridiculous idea of throwing nets over every sinkhole in the area, then you are completely out of your mind. Did you not learn anything from that spanking last night? Because, honestly Abby, the way I feel right now, I'm tempted to put you over my knee myself!"

"Hah! As if!" yelled Abby. "You wouldn't do it when we were together why would you do it now?"

"Because you never suggested anything so stupid before!" shouted Tim. "But you're right Abby. I wouldn't do it. What I will do though is tell Gibbs and if he goes looking for a wooden spoon then don't come crying to me!"

Abby opened her mouth to respond but found herself closing it again. For the first time in as long as she could remember, she was speechless.

"You wouldn't?" she finally spluttered.

"Yes I would! That's how fed up I am with you right now!" growled Tim, still angry that Abby would even consider doing something so crazy. "I mean, how do you propose to get the nets over these sinkholes? You promised both Gibbs and Tony that you wouldn't go near them."

"Gibbs said not to go near them unless everyone was together," argued Abby, her voice remaining loud due to frustration. "I thought we could do it as a family!"

Tim, stunned at what he'd just heard, could do no more than simply stare incredulously at Abby.

"After the nightmare Tony had last night, are you seriously suggesting we take him to a place that frightens him so much?"

"It could help him you know!" insisted Abby, shouting to instill her point.

"I don't believe you sometimes," gritted Tim through clenched teeth. "I'm going inside. I've had enough!"

His exit from the scene was halted however, when Gibbs appeared though the annex door.

"Do you two realize the whole camp site can probably hear you!" growled Gibbs as he stormed towards them.

Stopping in front of Tim, Gibbs looked around the younger man to make eye contact with Abby.

"Abby, get over here now!"

Swallowing nervously, Abby pushed herself up and out of the chair before making tentative steps towards Gibbs. When she was finally standing next to Tim and they were both toe to toe with Gibbs, the older man finally spoke.

"What the hell is going on?" he asked, his voice dangerously low.

"Nothing Gibbs," began Abby, her voice soft and wheedling as she attempted to diffuse his anger. "Tim and I were just having a discussion."

"Discussions don't happen at same decibel level of a Boeing 747 taking off!" replied Gibbs. "Now, please tell me I did not hear the work sinkhole in that, so called, discussion?"

Tim blushed a brilliant red while Abby suddenly found her shoes the height of interest.

Without a word, Gibbs stepped forward and did two things. Firstly, he grabbed Abby's arm and twisted her sideways, landing a hard swat on her backside. Secondly, he reached for Tim. Instantly, the younger man recoiled and pulled away in horror. Surprised by the action but continuing to carry through with his own, Gibbs reached up and smacked Tim hard across the back of the head.

"Get inside, both of you. NOW!" he added, when neither Abby nor Tim moved.

As the two scurried inside, Gibbs was struck by Tim's reaction. He'd been head slapped before; it certainly wasn't a new thing. Yet, he'd never pulled away like that. Deciding now was not the time to discuss it, Gibbs followed the pair into the annex.

When the three of them were inside the privacy of the camper, Gibbs glared at his two eldest.

"Explain!" he said.

"It's not like it sounds, Gibbs, I –"

"I was just trying to explain to Abby –"

As both parties began babbling at once, Gibbs found himself unable to make head or tail of either explanation. A piercing whistle suddenly echoed through the space and silence instantly fell.

"One at a time," growled Gibbs.

Pointing to Tim he said, "You first!"

As Tim, stumbling at first with copious 'ums' and 'ers', began to explain what he and Abby had been discussing, Gibbs found himself becoming more and more irritated by each passing word.

When Tim finished, Gibbs turned to Abby.

"I don't think there's really much more you need to add, is there."

Seeing it as the statement Gibbs intended rather than a question, Abby simply shook her head and stared sheepishly at the older man she looked upon as her father.

"Didn't think so," said Gibbs coldly. "Right. The pair of you, especially you, young lady, listen well because I am not going to repeat myself. I have had enough with this whole crusade thing Abby. It is ridiculous. Do NOT interrupt me," he yelled, as Abby made to argue. "If this was truly the major problem you seem to think it is, this area would not have any sinkholes simply because the damn things would be so filled with dead animals they'd no longer be an issue!"

Despite himself, Tim quietly snorted with laughter which he immediately turned into a choking cough when Gibbs glared at him dangerously.

"You will NOT be writing to the Australian Government nor will we be throwing nets over any and every damned divot that may appear in the landscape. This is the end of the discussion. Do you understand me?"

Gibbs waited as both Abby and Tim answered in the affirmative.

"Good!" he said firmly.

Raising a finger and pointing at the two miscreants before him, Gibbs continued. "Because I promise you, the next person to mention the word sinkhole in my presence will find themselves unable to sit for a week!"

With the sentence still hanging in the air, the camper door suddenly opened as Jenny, Tony and Ziva walked in. With her head buried in a tourist pamphlet, Jenny pulled the camper door closed as she said, "You know Jethro, I think it would be a great idea if we took everyone to see one of these amazing sinkholes."

Unable to control herself, Abby burst out laughing, while Tim sniggered silently into the hand he had raised to cover his mouth.

"What did I say?" asked Jenny, looking up in bewilderment.

"Nothing Hun," replied Gibbs.

Shaking his head, he merely kissed Jenny on the forehead before exiting the camper without another word.

****NCIS****

Despite his dire threats and warnings, the family decided to take up Jenny's suggestion and spent their last day at Mt Gambier visiting Cave Gardens. Similar to Umpherston Sink hole, this too was in the middle of town.

"It's amazing to think that these holes just suddenly appeared in the middle of town," remarked Tony as the family wandered along one of the main streets.

"Well the town has probably been built up around it," suggested Jenny. "I think the sinkholes have been around longer."

"Oh, hang on," said Tim with sudden excitement. "I know it's here somewhere…"

As the family stopped while Tim rummaged through his backpack, they watched until he finally drew out a piece of paper.

"Yes, here it is," he said. "This is a pamphlet on the sinkhole at Cave Gardens. It says here that due to the abundant source of fresh water that was in this particular sinkhole, it was fundamental to the town's development."

Tim looked up.

"Meaning, the town was built around the sink hole," he added for clarity. "Apparently, the one we're going to visit, now doubles as a storm water run-off drain and, when it rains heavily, an incredible waterfall is created."

"Oh," complained Abby. "I wish it were raining so we could see that."

"If it were raining Abby, we probably wouldn't have come," replied Ziva, unable to hide the scorn in her voice.

"Yes we would've," argued Abby, her tone just as scornful. "We would just wear coats and bring umbrellas."

Rolling their eyes simultaneously, Abby and Ziva both found themselves under the scrutiny of a 'Gibbs glare'. When both girls blushed suitably at being caught out, Gibbs had to smirk at the way each of them folded their arms and looked away in disgust.

Ignoring the bickering sisters, Tim continued to inform his family of the history and environmental attributes of the sinkhole at Cave Gardens.

"Hey, apparently there are lighter colored pavers near some signs. These disguise a seven meter deep continuous deflective separation unit that removes rubbish and silt from the water just before it plunges into the sinkhole. How incredible!"

"Yeah, amazing," replied Tony sarcastically. "Can you repeat that in English?"

"It just means that when the rain water washes into the sink hole, a special system filters the water and cleans it, so that it can be used for human consumption," explained Tim.

"Oh OK," said Tony nodding. "Why didn't they just write that in the first place."

With his head spinning from trying to keep up with Tim's excited explanations while keeping an eye on his girls who were currently trying to trip each other over while walking, Gibbs called the family to a halt.

"How about we stop at that café," he suggested, pointed to the building across the road. "We can grab some lunch before we visit this place."

"Yes!" exclaimed Tony. "I'm starving!"

"Great idea, Hun," agreed Jenny. "Can you take Tony and Tim with you. I want a word with these two."

As Jenny indicated the two girls, Gibbs nodded.

"You noticed it too?" he asked.

"Hmmm," she murmured, making no mistake as to how unimpressed she was. "And I'm about to put a stop to it."

Gibbs smiled. A pissed off Jenny was not someone you wanted to argue with. He almost felt sorry for the girls.

Leaning into her and planting a gentle kiss on her cheek, he whispered softly, "Don't go too hard on them. It's only 12.30."

Jenny rolled her eyes but smiled in response to his words.

As Gibbs and the boys entered the café, Jenny put out her hand and stopped the girls from following. Immediately both of them looked down at the ground telling Jenny they knew exactly why she had stopped them.

Stepping aside from the entrance, Jenny looked at the pair sternly.

"What's going on?" she asked.

As each one shrugged non-responsively, Jenny crossed her arms over her chest.

"That's not an answer and you it. Now tell me what is going on. The pair of you have been at each other all morning. If it's not snide remarks, it's this ridiculous game of trying to trip each other over. What if one of you had succeeded and the other had fallen?"

"Then I'd win," said Ziva snarkily.

Instantly, Jenny's hand flashed out and swatted Ziva sharply on her bottom.

"I beg your pardon, young lady," she growled.

Shocked at the sudden and public swat, Ziva blushed red and stared once again at the ground.

"Abby started it," she finally said. "She's been mean to me all morning!"

Jenny looked at Abby, her eyebrows raised questioningly.

"I haven't been mean, I've just refused to answer her when she continually asks me whether I got in trouble last night," replied Abby, meeting Jenny's gaze honestly. "I told her it's none of her business what happened."

Jenny looked back to Ziva.

"Is that true? Have you been annoying Abby and asking her about last night?"

"Ziva's refusal to answer told Jenny all she needed to know.

Looking at Abby, Jenny said, "You are well within your rights to not answer those questions. I understand that. However, engaging in that silly game of trying to trip each other up is pretty childish don't you think?"

Abby nodded sheepishly.

"I wasn't really going to trip her up. I was more trying to avoid her from tripping me up," replied Abby.

"Either way, don't engage with her. You are the adult. Walk away. Understand?"

As Abby nodded, Jenny indicated the café door with a jerk of her head.

"Go and join the others, we'll be in shortly."

Once the door had closed behind Abby, Jenny turned to Ziva. Taking the little girl's hand, she led her to a nearly bench and sat down, placing Ziva in front of her. Now, eye to eye, Jenny addressed Ziva sternly.

"Daddy and I both told you last night that what happened between Abby and Daddy is none of your business, Missy." As Ziva squirmed uncomfortably, shifting from one foot to the other, Jenny continued. "If Abby doesn't want to tell you then that is her business and not yours. If I hear one more word about you annoying or teasing Abby about this, I will put you over my knee and you can find out first hand exactly what happened to Abby."

"So, she did get a spanking!" said Ziva gleefully. "Yes, I knew it! Just wait until I…"

Without a word, Jenny stood and lifted Ziva to her hip. Walking briskly into the café, she ignored the quizzical look from Gibbs and headed directly for the public restroom. Thankful that the place was empty, Jenny took Ziva into one of the cubicles, bent her forward and applied three hard spanks to the jean covered bottom. As Ziva yelped with each swat and then began a loud bellow when the spanking was over, Jenny fervently hoped no one would enter the bathroom. While she had no problem spanking Ziva and, the situation had definitely warranted immediate action, she certainly didn't wish to make a scene or draw any unwanted attention.

With Ziva now crying earnestly, Jenny put down the toilet seat and perched awkwardly on the edge.

Taking the little girl's hands which were furiously rubbing at her smarting posterior, Jenny pulled Ziva to her and considered the brown eyes, now swimming with tears.

"Why did I just spank you?" asked Jenny making a good attempt at sounding stern. The sorrowful look was melting her heart and it was taking all her willpower not to pull the five year old into a comforting hug.

"Because you're mean!" yelled Ziva.

Resisting the urge to laugh at Ziva's indignant response, Jenny held firm.

"Would you like another swat on your bottom?" she asked, lifting Ziva's chin so they were looking eye to eye.

As Ziva shook her head quickly, Jenny asked again, "Why did I spank you?"

"Because I've been teasing Abby," replied Ziva softly.

"And are you going to stop?" asked Jenny.

"Yes Mommy," came the repentant reply.

"Good. I'm pleased to hear it," said Jenny firmly. "Because, if I hear you have continued to tease Abby, I will put you over my knee and really give you a spanking. It will make this one seem like tickles."

As Ziva's eyes widened in shock and horror, Jenny gathered the little girl into her arms to avoid her daughter seeing her laugh. Ziva was such a character and Jenny couldn't help but feel proud of the little spitfire. She tested them sorely but her will and determination were what would enable her to become the amazing adult Jenny knew she would be.

As Jenny led Ziva into the café and towards the table at which sat the rest of the family, she was pleased no one took much interest in their arrival. While Tim continued to regale everyone with facts about the sinkhole, Gibbs, Tony and Abby studied their menus, Abby occasionally looking up to acknowledge Tim while Tony and Gibbs completely ignored the continuous facts the flew around him.

"Yay!" called Tony as Jenny and Ziva took their seats at the table. "You're finally back. Now we can order!"

Leaning over the table he pointed out an item to his father. "I'd like that please. Double Deluxe Burger! Yum!"

Gibbs smiled and nodded his consent. Turning to Jenny, he asked quietly. "All good?"

"Is now, I hope," replied Jenny, looking over towards Ziva who was happily reading her menu.

Gibbs squeezed her hand encouragingly, letting it go only when the waitress appeared to take their orders.

****NCIS****

As the mid-afternoon sun seemingly played a game of cat and mouse with a few threatening grey clouds, the family made their way towards the cave gardens. Set out over a corner block, the land around the sinkhole had been landscaped with various flowering bushes and trees, cleverly designed to ensure colour all year round. As they meandered along the various walking paths, Ziva and Tony decided to engage in a game of chase. As the two children disappeared from view, Jenny and Gibbs weren't too worried until a loud cry had them running towards the sound.

"Stay still Ziva!"

They could hear Tony's clear voice as it directed them towards the area where the two children were located.

Rounding a final corner, the children came into view. Tony was bending over a small figure who appeared to be firmly caught by an old rambling rose bush. Having stumbled upon a checkerboard style planting of rose bushes, neither child had recognised the thorny plant due to the hard winter pruning most had recently received.

Dashing forward, Gibbs quickly relieved Tony from his current position and began to untangle his daughter from the thorny clutches.

"What happened Bud," Gibbs asked gently, as Tony stood aside and watched his sister slowly being freed.

"We were chasing through these sticks when Ziva tripped and landed on this one," explained Tony.

"These aren't sticks, Buddy. These are rose bushes."

"They don't look like rose bushes," added Ziva, her sweater now the only thing that remained snagged.

"That's because they've been pruned for the winter," said Gibbs, unhooking the last thorn. "All except these last three and you managed to fall into one that was still covered in thorns. Well done!"

"It's not 'Well done', Daddy," corrected Ziva sternly, not understanding the sarcasm. "You should be saying 'bad luck'!

"Very true," agreed Gibbs, suitable chastised by the five year old.

Moving away from the ominous clutches of the rose thorns, the three of them met the rest of the family who were waiting on the path.

"This garden would look beautiful when the roses are out in bloom," said Abby, staring around at the mass planting. "I wonder if they have any black ones?"

"Black?" questioned Tony frowning. "Wouldn't they be dead?"

"No, not at all," replied Abby. "Black roses are my favourite."

"Come on," called Tim who was already ten feet ahead and intent on furthering the gap. "Let's keep going. The entrance is just around here."

Adjacent to the next corner, a concrete path disappeared down a steep set of steps.

"Typical," groaned Gibbs. "Why are there always steps!"

Jenny laughed.

"That's because we plan every excursion just so you'll have to endure the plight of hardship," she said teasingly.

Gibbs levelled her with a wry look.

"Wouldn't surprise me," he said airily.

"Poor old man," quipped Jenny as she sauntered passed him, only to yelp as Gibbs reached out and pinched her bottom sharply.

"Ha ha," teased Ziva loudly. "Daddy pinched Mommy's bottom!"

Blushing at the smirks from various onlookers, Jenny ploughed on down the stairs while Gibbs and the rest of the family quickly followed in her wake.

Despite having grown tired of Tim's earlier flurry of facts, the information now came in handy as they look around and recognized many of the attributes of which Tim had spoken.

"Hey! Look Tim," called Tony, looking down at his feet. "Here's those different colored pavers you were talking about. This is where the water is filtered and cleaned."

"And here is where the water must cascade over the edge when it's raining," said Abby, pointing to the left. "You can see where it's left a mark."

Tim beamed as his family continually spotted areas he had mentioned.

When they came to the end of the long winding path, the family were given an excellent view of the sinkhole itself. A large cavernous hole loomed into the side of the cliff that had been created when the land had collapsed in on itself.

"Apparently, it's filled with water," said Jenny, reading the information plaque. "Those with special diving permits can explore inside and around the cave like structure that forms the sinkhole."

She moved across to read a second information board.

"This one says the State wildlife protection group have set up a program to re-populate the area with natural wildlife again. Over the years, native animals have been disappearing from this area and the group would like to try and bring them back."

"I knew it!" exclaimed Abby loudly.

Gibbs turned to Jenny and gave her an incredulous look.

"Seriously Hun?" he asked in annoyance. "You couldn't have just kept that little gem to yourself?"

"It's because of the sinkhole isn't it?" accused Abby, now jiggling on the spot due to her excitement of having been right. "They've been falling into it and drowning!"

"Ah, no," replied Jenny slowly as she continued to read the information. "This plaque is not only here for information, it's also a warning to the general public. It seems that people like to leave food scraps around along with waste packaging. The wildlife have been eating the foods and getting their heads caught in plastic rings, plastic bags and even soda cans. Unable to forage for food anymore, the animals eventually die of starvation. In addition," continued Jenny, still skimming the information board, "many of the foods are unhealthy causing gut problems for the animals which has also lead to their demise."

Looking up at Abby, Jenny said pointedly. "So, you see Abby, it's not the sinkhole that's the problem. It's the interference of people. We are the ones causing these animals to die. Left to their own, they have managed to survive centuries in and around the sinkholes."

"Hmph!" grunted Abby, crossing her arms over her chest. "I guess that would be an area of concern. But, I still think…."

"Abby!" growled Gibbs under his breath. "We are all very aware of what you think, but let's leave it there shall we?"

Despite the lift at the end of the sentence, Abby knew the question was rhetorical. Nodding her head regretfully, she sighed deeply and didn't complete her last sentence.

Deciding it was time to return, Gibbs reached out and took Tony's hand ready to tackle the uphill climb.

"Ouch!" hissed Tony.

Gibbs immediately pulled away.

"What's wrong?" he asked, looking down into the green eyes with concern.

"It's my finger," said Tony. "It's been hurting a bit since I pricked it on a thorn but you grabbing it make it really hurt."

"Sorry Bud, I didn't know," apologised Gibbs. "Let me see it?"

Lifting Tony's right hand, Gibbs was shocked at the large swelling around the first and second joints of the index finger. Squinting to see a trigger point, he was relieved when Jenny took Tony's hand and, pulling out her glasses, scrutinized it carefully.

"We need to buy you some glasses," she muttered to Gibbs while peering at the boy's finger.

"Why bother," replied Gibbs flippantly. "I've got you."

Giving him a withering look, Jenny lifted Tony's finger towards Gibbs.

"There," she said, pointing to a small, black mark between the two joints. "It looks like a thorn has stuck in there."

Pressing gently, she confirmed her diagnosis when Tony winced sharply.

"Come and sit over there," she said, indicating a bench seat. "I'll see if I can get it out."

Using a pair of tweezers she'd retrieved from her bag, Jenny tried to extract the foreign object but, despite her best efforts, the thorn was remaining stubbornly imbedded.

"It hurts Mom," complained Tony. "Can't we just leave it?"

"Sorry Baby," soothed Jenny. "I'm afraid we can't. If it isn't removed it will go septic and you might get blood poisoning. It's already more inflamed than I would have thought."

She looked with concern at Gibbs.

"Maybe he's having an allergic reaction?" she surmised. "I think you should take him to Emergency. They'll be able to extract it and keep an eye on the allergy."

She turned back to Tony.

"How's your throat feeling?" she asked with worried unease. "It's not hard to breathe or anything?"

Tony shook his head.

"No, I'm fine," he said. "It's just my finger that's sore."

"Well that's one thing," said Jenny, returning her attention to Gibbs. "But we don't want to risk anaphylaxis. I think you should get him to Emergency. Why don't you take Tim with you and catch a cab to the nearest clinic or hospital? It will save you having to find where it is. The girls and I can wander around the shops for a while and wait for you to phone when you're ready to be picked up. OK?"

"Yep," agreed Gibbs nodding.

Giving Jenny a quick kiss, he, Tim and Tony began the climb back up to street level and found a corner store from which they could hail a cab.

An hour later, with a sleeping Tony on his lap, Gibbs struggled to keep his own eyes open. They had arrived within ten minutes of having left the girls, the hospital being on a few blocks away. However, being a Saturday afternoon, the room was filled with people nursing various injuries, the bulk of which seemed to be boys around Tony's age wearing the local football Jersey.

"There might be a bit of a wait," the woman at reception had advised them. "It's a Home game this weekend for the all the junior teams so we're a bit swamped with injuries."

Gibbs, nodding acknowledgement, had looked around for a place to sit. Finding a quiet, secluded corner, he had directed Tim and Tony towards it. It was here that they now sat, bored witless as the crowded room slowly began to empty of people.

Trying to think of a topic of conversation to keep himself and Tim awake, Gibbs suddenly remembered the way Tim had pulled away earlier that morning when he'd attempted to give the man a head slap.

"Hey Tim," began Gibbs, keeping his voice low so as to not wake Tony.

"Hmm?" murmured Tim, opening his eyes suddenly at the mention of his name.

"This morning when you and Abby were arguing, why did you pull away when I went to slap you on the back of the head?" asked Gibbs.

"I always flinch if you're about to whack me," replied Tim quickly, hoping the response would satisfy Gibbs. He should have known better.

"Flinch, yes. But this wasn't a flinch. You looked genuinely horrified," pointed out Gibbs. "Why?"

Tim, suddenly blushing furiously, looked down into his lap.

"Um…no real reason boss," he replied softly.

Reaching out, Gibbs slapped the young man on the back of the head. He was immediately faced with the sorrowful look of a kicked puppy that Tim was so good at giving.

"Don't lie to me Tim," he said gruffly. "And, that just proves my point. You hardly moved then. This morning you were almost ready to tackle me to the ground."

As Tim continued to stare into his lap, Gibbs placed his hand on the young man's shoulder.

"Come on Tim, what is it?"

"Well," began Tim slowly. "I thought that..um…you were…ah….going to….well, that is, I was worried that you er….might….um…"

"Tim please!" growled an exasperated Gibbs. "It'll be Christmas before you get there. Just spit it out. I won't bite, I promise."

Tim sighed.

"I thought you were going to do the same thing to me."

Having finally blurted it out, Tim stared anxiously at Gibbs waiting for a response.

The older man stared back.

"The same as what?" he eventually asked, still confused.

Another loud sigh.

"The same….the same as…Abby," confessed Tim quietly, blushing a deep shade of red.

Still frowning, Gibbs thought back to the scene. As realisation dawned, he worked very hard to not let his amusement show.

"You thought I was going to spank you?" he asked.

He didn't think it possible, but Tim blushed even redder.

As the younger man nodded, embarrassed to the core, Gibbs smiled.

"Oh Tim," he said shaking his head. "Would that have been so bad?"

Tim's head shot up, surprising Gibbs with the total look of horror that now adorned it.

"Yes!"

It was the clearest and most concise he'd ever heard Tim speak.

"OK," replied Gibbs, his voice masking a tinge of humour. "I guess it would be."

"Boss, I'm a grown man," replied Tim, still stuck by Gibbs apparent lack of understanding.

"I know that, Tim," replied Gibbs soberly. "And, to be perfectly frank, the thought of spanking you this morning didn't actually cross my mind. I was going in for the head slap and that was all."

"Yeah, I get that now," muttered Tim.

"Tim, you are an adult," said Gibbs reassuringly. "And, as such, I wouldn't even think of spanking you."

"But you've threatened to," said Tim. "That time after the shooting and even this morning when you said about the next person to mention sinkholes…." Tim's voice trailed off without completion.

"First things first, Tim," began Gibbs firmly. "This morning was more of an empty threat. I know," he emphasised as Tim looked at him incredulously, "I'm always telling you I don't give them but, well, I guess my secret is out. Kids do that to you, ya know?" he added with a smirk.

"I suppose when I say things like that," continued Gibbs. "I'm just adding you to the family. You are my son, Tim and, as such, you get included in all family activities, even threats of dire punishments."

This time even Tim smiled.

"The incident of the shooting?" Here, Gibbs paused, trying to formulate the words carefully.

"If I really think about it, I guess a part of me was deadly serious, Tim. Seeing you shot and thinking you were dead and knowing it could have been avoided if you'd just done as you were told in the first place, made my blood boil. It would have been a ridiculous and completely avoidable way to die. And that Dad part of me wanted nothing more than to haul you over my knee and spank the living daylights out of you."

Gibbs watched as Tim bowed his head in shame as he remembered the incident.

"However, I do acknowledge that you aren't a child. You are my son, make no mistake, but you aren't a child. You are a grown man. And, as such, I would have eventually conceded that spanking you would be highly inappropriate. Eventually…."

Gibbs smirked again.

"Tim, please don't worry," he reassured, seeing that Tim still look doubtful and confused. "I'm not going to spank you, not now, not ever. The only way that would ever happen would be if you came to me and said you needed that kind of punishment. But, judging by the horrified look on your face," Gibbs added laughing, "that's not going to happen any time soon. And that's fine Tim. I think I would be just as uncomfortable about it as you. It would take some figuring out first."

"But you spank Abby and she's older than me," said Tim

"I think you already know why I spank Abby," replied Gibbs. "Abby has told me about the time the two of you were together."

Tim blushed, then paled with horror.

"I swear, I never laid a hand on her!" he garbled quickly.

Gibbs laughed.

"Settle down, Tim. What the two of you chose to do as consenting adults is your business. So long as there was consent, I have no problem with it. But, it should answer your question as to why I spank Abby."

Tim nodded.

"Yeah, it does."

The two men sat in silence for a few minutes.

"So… you won't ever spank me then?" clarified Tim.

"No, not if you don't want me to," replied Gibbs.

"I don't," said Tim. "I don't mind the communal threats though," he added blushing once again. "It makes me feel like I'm part of the family."

Tim's head suddenly thrust forward as Gibbs' hand connected with it. With the 'goldfish in a bowl' stare now anchored on Gibbs, the latter explained.

"You ARE a part of this family Tim. Always have been, always will. Is that clear, or do I need to reinforce that with another harder one?"

"No," replied Tim hurriedly. "I've got it."

"Good!" said Gibbs firmly. "Your butt might be safe, but your head isn't. You ever indicate that you're not part of this family again, and you'll be begging me to spank you. Is that clear?"

"Yes Boss," replied Tim.

"You know," said Gibbs, reflecting on Tim's response. "You don't have to call me Boss, Tim. Not while were on vacation. Not ever, if you don't want to," added Gibbs.

"I know," replied Tim. "But I'm used to it. It's more than just because you're my boss, it's kind of like a pet name."

Gibbs raised an eyebrow.

"You callin' me a dog, Tim?"

"What? No!" spluttered Tim, horrified.

"Tim, you really have to learn to take a joke. I was kidding, man. I understand what you're saying. It's the same reason why I still call Mike Franks, Boss."

As Tim nodded in relief, a woman entered the room and called, "Tony Gibbs?"

The two men stood and Gibbs lifted Tony. "Glad we had this chat, Tim," he said, hoisting Tony until the boy was supported on his hip.

"Me too, Boss," replied Tim.

As Jenny had thought, Tony had shown a slight allergic reaction to the thorn. Once it had been extracted, he was given an antihistamine along with some antibiotics to ward off any encroaching infection.

Waiting as Gibbs called Jenny to pick them up, Tim and Tony filled in the time with a quick game of 'I spy'; Tony declaring himself the winner when Tim was unable to guess psychiatrist as 'something beginning with s'. When Gibbs returned, the three of them crossed the road and sat in the park to wait for the girls.

As Gibbs and Tony wrestled on the grass, Tim smiled. As much as he had been dreading it, he was glad he and Gibbs had talked. The chat had been necessary and had finally helped Tim to accept his place in this strange, but wonderful, group he called his family.


	18. Evening Plans

**AN: I realize this chapter is much shorter than normal but, I promise, there is a good reason. Over the weekend, I discovered on You Tube, an audio recording of Colin Thiele's classic children's novel "Storm Boy". It only runs for 1 hour and 13 minutes and, while not a professional recording of the story, it is still quite good to listen to.**

 **I kept the chapter short to enable those of you who wanted to, a chance to listen to the story before the next chapter. It will not only give you a better insight into the emotions felt by the family while listening to the story, but will also give you a great description of the strip of land and waterway known as the Coorong. Those of you who are not Australian may also need to google some of the words for clarification :) There are a couple of long pauses at the beginning between the first few chapters. Be patient - it does continue. I kept thinking my iPad had frozen - lol!**

 **To find the audio recording, type 'Storm boy novel reading' into the search engine on You Tube. It should be the first clip in the results. It is 1.13hrs long and has been posted by Amber Church. I will also give the link to the recording but, due to the fact FF won't allow links, I have had to write the word for 'dot' and 'backslash'. You'll need to correct these for the link to work.**

 **www dot youtube dot com backslash watch?v=vIEIn6y7V3E**

 **For those of you who are on Facebook and have found and liked my page, 'Mindless Creations', you'll find a link to both the audio recording and the movie of Storm Boy. As Ziva points out in the following chapter, it is quite old. The book was published in 1963 and the film released in 1976. (And no, my maths is not incorrect in this chapter, Australian Adventure is set in August 2006 - just for those who were wondering - lol!)**

 **Happy listening.**

Chapter 18 – Evening Plans

"Daddy!"

"So, he'll be alright?"

As the car purred along the straight stretch of road, Jenny looked back in the rear-view mirror at Tony who stared blankly out the window. The concern in her voice was mixed with a measure of relief. Tony appeared none the worse for wear and, despite his current silence, had been reasonably affable when Jenny pulled up at the curb a few minutes earlier.

"Yeah," replied Gibbs. "Doc said it was a mild allergic reaction. She gave him an –"

"Daddy!"

Ziva's voice carried shrilly as she vied for her Father's attention.

"antihistamine and a course of antibiotics as a precaution."

"DADDY!"

"Yes, Ziva," replied Gibbs, finally acknowledging the insistent calling from the back seat and sounding far more patient than he felt.

"When does he need to start?" asked Jenny.

"Guess what Abby bought us, Daddy?"

"Start what?" asked Gibbs, frowning as he turned back to Jenny.

"Daddy! Guess what Abby bought us?"

"Don't know honey. What?" called Gibbs over his shoulder to Ziva.

"The antibiotics, Jethro," sighed Jenny impatiently. "Aren't you listening to me?"

"Daddy, listen to me!"

A loud whistle pierced the close confines of the car. But it wasn't from Gibbs. With inquiring looks of surprise, the occupants of the vehicle turned to face Tony.

"Ouch, Tony!" exclaimed Ziva irritably. "You nearly broke my ears."

"You can't break ears," replied Tony scornfully. "Besides, you were all breaking mine!"

"I thought you just said…" began Ziva.

"Shut up, Ziva!" yelled Tony, his frustration levels reaching an all new high.

"Hey," admonished Jenny gently. "Please don't speak to your sister that way."

"But she's driving me crazy!" complained Tony. "You all are!" he added, glaring at both his parents for emphasis.

Seeing the unimpressed look forming on Gibbs' face, Jenny cut in quickly.

"You're right, Sweetheart," she cajoled lightly. "Too many conversations at once can be annoying."

Giving Gibbs a sideways glance, Jenny managed a quick smile and was pleased when she saw his face relax. Despite agreeing that Tony had been out of line with his disrespectful tone, she was also aware the young boy had probably endured a difficult afternoon at the hospital. With her own afternoon having been far better than she'd first expected, Jenny was keen to keep the mood as light and amicable as possible.

Once Gibbs, Tim and Tony had left to catch a cab, Jenny had initially lead the girls towards the Tourist Information Centre in the main street, thinking an hour or so of looking at books, trinkets and watching the tourist video that ran on a loop in a quiet corner, would be enough to pass the time until Gibbs rang for them to pick him up. However, ninety minutes later, having watched the video twice and spent time discussing the local attractions of their next destination with one of the knowledgeable assistants, Jenny quickly ascertained they would have to venture further afield to fill in the time until the others were ready.

Leaving the Information Center with Ziva now swinging the hessian bag containing Abby's gift to the family, the three of them had wandered down the rest of the street, stopping occasionally to peruse something of interest either inside or just outside one of the many stores that lined the main thoroughfare. Having been witness to the recent squabbling of the two girls, Jenny had been quietly dreading the prospect of subjecting the general public to the girls' frequent displays hostility. However, she needn't have worried. As if a storm cloud had suddenly shifted, both girls happily walked side-by-side and, when Ziva reached up to take Abby's hand, Jenny found herself blinking to check her eyes weren't suddenly playing tricks on her. With no idea as to what had happened to bring about this change, Jenny simply accepted it for what it was and enjoyed it while she could. Having the girls on their best behavior while she was on watch was a bonus Jenny was happy to accept without question.

When the call from Gibbs had eventually transpired nearly three hours later, Jenny was surprised at how quickly the time had flown. However, as she now glanced again at Tony's irritated expression, she quickly surmised the duration of the afternoon had moved in an opposite momentum for her son.

"Ziva," began Gibbs, twisting around to direct his full attention to the five year old. "What did Abby buy you?"

"Not just me Daddy, it's for all of us," corrected Ziva.

Gibbs waited patiently while the little girl reached down to retrieve the hessian shopping bag. Rummaging around inside, she eventually pulled out a colorful box and held it up to show him.

"It's story book. But, that's not all," continued Ziva giving a great imitation of a TV telemarketer. "The book is on CD so you don't have to read it. You can look at the pictures and just listen along. Aaaaaaand," she added, stretching out the word to ensure she had everyone's full attention. "There also a DVD of the story. It's for all of us to listen to, Daddy."

"Well that's wonderful, Pumpkin," replied Gibbs. "That was very kind of Abby."

"It was," agreed Ziva with childlike pragmatism to which Gibbs couldn't help but smile. "Can we listen to it tonight, pleeeeease! It's all about the place we are going to tomorrow and it would make the car ride so much more interesting if we had the story in our heads as well."

"Would it now?" asked Gibbs, his smile widening as his daughter put forward her arguments for the defence.

"Ah huh!" replied Ziva nodding her head. "It's about a boy who lives in a humpy. I didn't know what that was but the lady in the store said it's like a really small hut made out of tin and wood. And he lives there with his Daddy and an Aboriginal man called Fingerbone Bill. Isn't that a funny name, Daddy?"

"Mmmm," agreed Gibbs, trying to keep up with Ziva's excited ramblings.

"Anyway," she continued, hardly waiting for Gibbs' reply. "One day, the boy finds some orphaned pelican chicks and he takes them home and looks after them until they are big enough to fly away. Which they do except for one, Mr Percival. He stays with the boy and they become best friends. Doesn't that sound like a great story Daddy? And they live in the place we are going to be travelling to next."

"Meningie?" asked Gibbs, raising his eyebrows questioningly.

"No," replied Ziva, slowly. She furrowed her brows and thought carefully. "The other place we looked at on the map. It has the really long beach and lots of water. I can spell it," she added, closing her eyes and picturing the word in her head. "C-O-O-R-O-N-G."

"Ahh, the Coorong," said Gibbs, still amazed at the way his daughter could so easily remember things she'd seen.

"That's it!" exclaimed Ziva. "They live along the Coorong. The lady in the store said the story is quite old now. I worked out it's nearly forty-four years old. I told her that's not _quite_ old, that's _really_ old! And Mommy said it's younger than you are Daddy. Then, Mommy and the store lady looked at each other and laughed."

Eyeing Jenny, Gibbs wasn't surprised when she suddenly feigned deep concentration on the road ahead. Rolling his eyes with a shake of his head, he refrained from making any further comments.

"Tell Daddy what the story's called, Honey?" suggested Jenny brightly, quickly changing the subject away from the current dangerous territory she found herself in.

"Storm Boy," replied Ziva eagerly. "They call him that because he likes to walk along the beach when there's a storm. So, can we listen to it? Can we?"

"I think we can manage that," said Gibbs. He looked at his watch. "It will be a relaxing way to end our day. We'll listen to it after dinner."

"Yay!" cheered Ziva excitedly.

With her piece said, Ziva happily returned her attention to the box set on her lap. Turning back in his seat, Gibbs looked across to Jenny.

"Sounds like those two didn't cause you much trouble?" he remarked, keeping his voice low.

Knowing he meant Ziva and Abby, Jenny gave him a quick glance before returning her gaze to the road.

"No, they were both very good. The Information Center was the first place we went and the woman there was extremely helpful. Once she knew where we were going, she immediately directed us to the Storm Boy collector's set and won Abby over with her talk of conservation, animal protection and the fight to protect the wetlands in the area."

Gibbs groaned.

"I can just imagine. Please tell me there are no sink holes along the Coorong!"

Jenny laughed before saying, "I think you're safe, Hun. Anyway, once Abby decided to buy the set for us all to enjoy, Ziva was quite excited. She even spontaneously thanked Abby, gave her a bone crushing hug and didn't let go of her hand for the rest of the afternoon while we waited for you."

Gibbs raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Let's hope that continues," he added.

"So, Tony?" reminded Jenny, flicking on the left indicator before turning the car into the road that led to the holiday park.

"He'll be fine," replied Gibbs. "The antibiotics are just a precaution and the Doctor said the allergic reaction was very mild. She gave him an antihistamine shot and we start the tablets tonight with dinner."

Jenny nodded, then added, "Poor Tony. I bet he wasn't too impressed with the shot?"

"Nope," replied Gibbs, leaving no room for doubt. "Poor kid was so relieved when they used numbing cream instead of a needle to deaden the area around the thorn, only to be told he would need to have an antihistamine shot."

Jenny's face fell in a look of sympathetic empathy.

Noticing it, Gibbs immediately added, "Don't feel too sorry for him. He ended up with a fist full of jelly-beans for his trouble."

Smiling at Gibbs' words, Jenny glanced briefly in the rear-view mirror to see Tony staring stony-faced out of the window.

"So, what's up with him now?"

Gibbs gave a quick look over his shoulder.

"Not sure," he replied, returning his gaze to Jenny. "He was OK when we left the hospital." Gibbs shrugged. "He's probably just tired and hungry. Spending the best part of three hours sitting in a hospital waiting room isn't much fun in anyone's book. I'm sure he'll brighten up once we get dinner on the go. Speaking of which, did you remember to grab some steaks for the barbecue?"

Jenny gave him a wry look.

"Of course," she replied in mocked surprise. "Don't I always do what exactly what you tell me to?"

Gibbs' sarcastic guffaw was so loud, Jenny was sure even the cows in the paddock turned to look at them in wonderment.

With dinner eaten, the dishes cleared away and Tony and Ziva showered and ready for bed, the family settled down to listen to the audio-book recording of Colin Thiele's 'Storm Boy'. Upon opening the box set, they had been surprised to find two poster-sized coloring sheets folded between the CD and the DVD. Choosing the picture of a young boy running along the sand dunes with three pelicans following behind him, Tony and Ziva had insisted they spread out the poster on the table where they could have easy access to color it. With equaled enthusiasm, Abby and Tim had decided to join them and the four now sat comfortably around the table; markers, pencils and crayons spread out before them. Choosing the comfortable recliners on the opposite wall, Gibbs and Jenny stretched out lazily, Jenny's head on Gibbs' shoulder while he played absentmindedly with her hair.

The information on the back of the CD had informed them the recording went for one hour and fifteen minutes. This pleased both Jenny and Gibbs as it meant Tony and Ziva would still be in bed by 8.30. The following day was going to be reasonably busy with travel and sightseeing and neither wanted to contend with grumpy, tired children.

Unfortunately, as luck would have it, when it came to children and plans, nothing was a simple as it sounded. Despite Gibbs' and Jenny's hopes for a peaceful and relaxing evening, not long into the story it soon became apparent Mr Thiele's classic narration was going to deny them any chance of either peace or relaxation.

 **AN – Quick reminder to check out the audio recording of Colin Thiele's 'Storm Boy'. Details are in the AN at the beginning of this chapter.**


	19. Chasing the Shadows Away

**For those who follow Fire and Ice, the author's note is the same :)**

 **Once again, I must apologise for the delay in updates. For those of you on the facebook page, thank you for all your kind comments and messages of support. What was to be a simple surgery turned, literally, into a nightmare. Without going into too much boring detail, my immune system (normally suppressed by medication which I had to stop taking) went into overdrive and pretty much tried to kill me. I ended up in ICU with a central line (tube in the neck into the jugular vein). My body went into septic shock, my organs tried to shut down and all the blood left my lower arms and legs leaving me with further nerve damage. They pumped me full of adrenalin and other life saving meds including strong antibiotics until, thankfully, I began to hold my own. It's taken a while to get back to normal and sadly I have been left with some permanent damage, but I am thankful to be alive.**

 **I'm still very tired but I'm trying to update when I can. I will update Australian Adventure next and, believe it or not, I have actually started a third story which I hope to post soon. I've had the idea for a while now and I just had to put it down in writing.**

 **Until then, I hope you enjoy this chapter and find the chance to review. They feed my writing soul xx**

 **PS - for the purpose of my story, Gibbs' basement doesn't have any windows.**

Chapter 19 - Chasing the Shadows Away

About fifteen minutes into the story, Gibbs and Jenny soon calculated it was going to be a lot later than 8.30 before the children would be in bed. Already, it had taken nearly forty minutes to get to where they were. This was due solely to the need of having to look up nearly every second word to discover its meaning. Poor Abby was kept very busy as she furiously googled words when either Tony or Ziva would chime in with "What does that mean?"

Some of the words, Gibbs, Jenny or Abby and Tim were able to give the children an answer without the aid of Google, but every so often, the search engine was their own solution, especially when it came to place names and where they lay in relation to the Coorong.

"Who knew Australians spoke such a different language," complained Abby as she looked up the word bandicoot. They had figured it was some kind of animal but, of course, Ziva had insisted knowing what it looked like. After Abby showed her a picture from Google images, Gibbs turned the recording back on and they settled once again into the story.

After the initial pause/play that was the first twenty minutes, the story grew easier to understand and all six of them became immersed in the plot. It was at the first mention of the hunters and the blatant disregard they had for the rules of the sanctuary that Gibbs realized just how Storm Boy was going to acquire his three little pelican chicks and, as the story unfolded, Gibbs discovered he was right.

He watched as Ziva, with the mention of the chicks' mother falling prey to the hunters, put down her coloring pencil and, blinking back the tears, quietly leave the table and make a bee line for Jenny's lap. Crawling into its safe confines, she rested her head against Jenny's shoulder and happily continued listening to the story. Turning to watch Tony, Gibbs noted the boy wasn't showing much emotion at this point. However, he decided he would continue keeping a close eye on him. Tony liked to mask his feelings and Gibbs had a feeling this story was going to be quite emotional.

He wasn't wrong.

Despite sections that were exciting and even humorous, there began to grow in Gibbs an ominous feeling regarding Mr Percival's future. And, as the second season of duck hunting was mentioned, Gibbs found himself glancing from one child to the next until he was sure he was going to sustain a whiplash injury. His shoulders slumped when, true to his predictions, Mr Percival fell victim to a hunter's rifle. And, if that wasn't bad enough, the shot had been intentional; the pelican dying at the hands of a man who killed him in anger and hate.

Gibbs' heart began to race. Both Ziva and Tony had been the victims of men who hurt them through anger. He glanced quickly at Jenny and saw, she too, was worrying about the same thing, her hand tightly clenched in Ziva's while the little girl used her other hand to brush away the traitorous tears that fell down her face. Even Abby, Gibbs saw, was crying freely. Her hands filled with tissues on which she either blew her nose or her wiped at her eyes. Gibbs hoped she kept a track of which was used for which.

Tony, he noticed, was dry eyed, despite the ever-increasing sniffles around him. But Gibbs could see the boy was not unaffected. He may not be saddened by what he was hearing but he was definitely emotional. The difference being, the emotion in Tony's eyes was anger. The stony look was a dead giveaway and Gibbs could see the boy had drilled several holes into the paper on which he'd been drawing. Knowing Ziva was in safe hands with Jenny, Gibbs kept his attention on Tony.

When the story eventually ended, it was Ziva who suddenly spoke out.

"I don't get it?" said Ziva. "Did Mr Percival die or not?"

"Yes, he died, Sweetheart," replied Jenny softly. "What the author meant by saying 'birds like Mr Percival don't really ever die', is that he will go on living in the hearts of many as a memory."

"Oh", said Ziva sadly. "I thought maybe he was actually still alive. That was a really sad story. Why did he have to die? Why couldn't he have lived and maybe rescued more people?"

"Because that's not the way things always happen," replied Jenny, smoothing Ziva's hair away from her face. "Sometimes sad things happen."

Gibbs watched as Ziva's eyes suddenly glazed over. "Yeah," she said softly.

"That was a dumb story," suddenly burst out Tony.

"No it wasn't," argued Ziva. "It was sad but not dumb.'

"Yeah it was," said Tony, his voice filled with anger. "Why write a story about something you find yourself liking only to kill it off in the end. I mean, if the bird had been mean and nasty I'd get it But Mr Percival was good and kind. He saved those fishermen."

"Honey, it's not always about good verses bad."

Gibbs was relieved to see Jenny was answering the hard questions tonight. His own mind was racing with how both his kids were handling the unexpected turn of events and he didn't have the quick thinking needed to give them the reassurances they needed.

"There are so many grey areas in life," continued Jenny. "As the reader we saw the good in Mr Percival, but to the duck shooters Mr Percival was a nuisance. Sometimes we know half the story and we make up our minds based on that. We got to hear about all the wonderful things Mr Percival did, but the shooters didn't. They only saw the way he would warn the ducks and stop them from being shot."

"But that's a good thing," pointed out Ziva.

"I agree, Peanut, but not from the shooter's perspective. They wanted to hunt the ducks."

"Hunting is wrong," said Abby suddenly. "All hunting should be banned. People who shoot things just for sport are sick and twisted in my mind."

"Many people would disagree with you," said Gibbs, finally finding his voice. "Apparently here in Australia they shoot the kangaroos because they are in plague proportions and destroy the farmer's crops. And they shoot foxes because they will attack and kill newborn lambs. Again, Abby, it's all about perspective. It depends on which side of the fence you are sitting."

What fence?" asked Ziva.

"It's just a saying, honey," replied Jenny. "It means it depends on what your opinion is and how you may be affected by something."

"Where do you think Mr Percival was shot?" asked Ziva. "Do you think it was in the head or the chest, or on his wing?"

"He wouldn't have died if it was his wing," said Tony scornfully. "And, if he was shot in the head, he would have died straight away, so it was probably in his chest, or stomach or something."

"Do people always die straight away when they're shot in the head?" asked Ziva.

"Usually," replied Gibbs.

"Tony's dad was shot in the head and he died. Abba was shot in the head and he died too. Even that bunny was shot in the head and it was dead."

"Yes," said Gibbs softly.

"Someone should shoot those hunters in the head," said Tony angrily.

"Why Tony?" asked Gibbs.

"Because they did the wrong thing. They killed something that was good and kind."

"Do you really think they deserve to die for that?"

Tony shrugged while he wrestled with his own convictions. "Well…maybe not. But I still think only bad people should die like that. Like Senior and Ziva's Abba."

"Abba wasn't always bad," cut in Ziva. "Sometimes he could be really nice to me. Sometimes he would tell me stories and let me sit on his knee."

"But he was really mean to you Ziva," argued Tony. "He hurt you lots and he even tried to kill you."

Gibbs watched as Ziva's head slowly bowed until she was staring into her lap. Her eyes blinked rapidly as if to ward off further tears. Then, without warning, she pulled away from Jenny's grasp and ran to the bedroom.

"I'll go," said Gibbs quietly.

"I'm sorry," said Tony, his eyes wide and apologetic. "I didn't mean to upset her."

"Not your fault, Bud," said Gibbs, tousling the boy's hair as he passed. "I think you just hit a nerve with Ziva. It's OK though. Sometimes there are things we need to work through and this is one of Ziva's."

Jenny watched as Tony's eyes followed Gibbs from the room. He was battling his own demons she knew but, until he was willing to talk about it, neither she nor Gibbs could really help.

"Maybe my choice of story wasn't such a good one after all," said Abby, breaking the silence.

"Not at all Abbs," said Jenny comfortingly. "It's probably exactly what we all needed."

She didn't elaborate further, but her pointed look in Tony's direction told Abby all she needed to know. Despite their earlier doubt, both Jenny and Gibbs now hoped the story might help Tony and Ziva to face their own fears from the shooting.

Jenny looked over towards Tony who sat slumped against the cushioned seat. He looked so lost and forlorn.

"Come here, Tony," she said softly.

The boy looked up. "Why?" he asked suspiciously.

Jenny smiled. "Just come here," she said again, holding out her arms.

He came over then, a little hesitant at first but once he stood by his Mom's side, he allowed himself to be lifted onto her lap.

Jenny squeezed him tightly and placed a kiss on his head.

"You OK?" she asked gently against his ear.

Tony nodded. "Yeah," he croaked, his answer lacking all signs of conviction.

Feeling their presence might be stopping Tony from opening up, Tim and Abby stood to excuse themselves.

"We might, ah…go for a walk somewhere," said Tim, manoeuvring himself out from behind the table.

"Yeah," agreed Abby. "Let's have game of table tennis. I love beating you at games."

Tim rolled his eyes, but allowed himself to be led from the camper by Abby.

Left alone, Jenny held Tony against her so he was facing sideways. In this position, she could monitor his facial expressions. A silent Tony who faced way from her was almost impossible to read.

"Tony," began Jenny gently. "What you were saying earlier about bad people being the only ones who should die like your Dad and Abba…."

"I didn't mean to upset Ziva," cut in Tony, his eyes sparkling with tears once again.

"No, I know you didn't," said Jenny quickly. "That's not where I was going with this."

She felt Tony relax against her again and continued cautiously.

"The thing is Tony, people aren't just good or bad. There's no one person who is completely good, just like no-one is completely bad. People are a mixture of both."

"Senior was bad," said Tony fiercely.

"Was he?" challenged Jenny. "I mean, was he bad all the time."

Tony was silent for a moment as he thought.

"Well, I guess he was OK when Mom was still alive," he offered charitably. "He used to laugh more then and didn't seem to hate me as much. But then he said Mom's dying was my fault so I guess that's why he hated me so much afterwards."

"What?" Jenny had to stop herself from yelling the word. "How on earth did he come up with that one?"

"He said that I wore her out and that's why she got sick."

"Tony, you do realise that's a complete and utter lie, don't you?"

When Tony didn't answer, Jenny put her finger under his chin until he was looking directly at her. "Tony, you are NOT responsible for your Mother's death. You don't catch cancer nor do you get it because you have a child or responsibilities. Cancer is just something that happens due to our body's cells reacting in certain ways. No one can control that. Your Mom died because the cancer became too much for her body to cope with. It wasn't her fault, it wasn't Senior's fault and it most certainly wasn't your fault. You must believe that. It was not your fault. OK?"

Jenny waited until Tony finally nodded before releasing his chin.

"Going back to what you said before, Senior did have his good points, even though they may have been rare and something you didn't see very often." It took all of Jenny's will power to force the words out having just heard what Tony had said. The man was definitely a bastard to his son.

"To your Mom," Jenny continued, "Senior was probably a good and kind man. But to you, he was mean and cruel. The thing is, both of you saw him differently. I guess that's what I'm trying to say. We can't really judge whether a person is good or bad because they show different sides to different people."

"How come you and Dad wear a gun to work?"

The question, coming out of the blue like it did, surprised Jenny and, taken aback, it took a second or two for her to answer.

"Well, it's part of our jobs. Well actually, it's more part of your Dad's job. I don't need mine as much as I tend to be in my office much of the day. But, your Dad and Tim are often sent out to catch people who murder or hurt others. And sometimes, those people might be armed so Dad and Tim carry a gun to defend themselves."

"But isn't that dangerous?" asked Tony.

"It can be, yes." She wasn't about to lie to her son, nor sugar coat the reality. He was asking an honest question and deserved an honest answer. "But, without the gun, it would be more dangerous. At least with it, they are able to defend themselves should the need arise."

"Some of the other kids I talk to, their Moms and Dads do other things like working in an office, or a hospital or a classroom. Maybe you and Dad could become teachers or something?"

Jenny smiled as she tried to imagine Jethro in front of a class full of six years old's. She wasn't sure who would survive the longest.

"But that's not the jobs we chose to do." Again, Jenny turned Tony's head so he was looking at her. "What your Dad and Tim do is very brave and worthwhile. They capture people who are hurting others and make sure they don't hurt anyone again. They do that for you and Ziva so your world can be a little safer. I'm very proud of your Dad."

"Yeah, I am too," replied Tony. "I just wish it wasn't such a dangerous job."

"I know Sweetie," agreed Jenny. "Sometimes I think that as well. But, it helps that I worked with your Dad for a while so I know that he can take care of himself." She was about to say, he didn't take risks to put himself in danger but she knew she would be lying. Jethro was never one for following the rule book.

Satisfied for the time being, Tony leaned back into Jenny and welcomed the hand that carded gently through his hair.

Entering the bedroom, Gibbs spied Ziva sitting on Abby's bed. Her head was bent as she picked furiously at her fingernails. Taking a seat next to her, Gibbs stilled the fingers before she managed to draw blood.

"Hey pumpkin," he said softly. "Are you OK?"

She shrugged and pulled her hand out of his, her fingernails once again falling victim to her worried mind. Reaching over, Gibbs placed his hands under her arms and half lifted, half dragged her onto his lap.

"Tony didn't mean to upset you," he began. "He-"

"Tony didn't upset me," she replied, cutting him off.

"Then, can you tell me what wrong?"

She didn't answer immediately and Gibbs was happy to sit in silence while she gathered her thoughts.

"Was he right?"

Gibbs frowned, unsure by what Ziva meant.

"Was who right?" he asked.

"Tony," answered Ziva. "When he said Abba tried to kill me. Was he right?"

Taking a deep but silent breath, Gibbs closed his eyes. No child should ever have to ask that question.

"What do you remember from that day?" he eventually asked. "I mean from when you were standing at the top of the stairs."

Ziva closed her eyes. "I remember…. I remember Abby tried to grab me, but I was scared by the noise of the guns. I wanted to help you and Mommy. Then….I saw Abba crouching in the hall. There was blood on his head and down his face. He…he had a gun and he….he…"

She suddenly stopped talking. Her eye flew open and, twisting her body, she wrapped her arms around Gibbs' neck.

"He was pointing it at you Daddy."

Gibbs wrapped his arms tightly around her and stroked her hair.

"But he didn't hurt me," he reassured her. Pulling her back so she straddled his legs, he brushed the hair away from her face and said, "What else do you remember."

Again. the eyes closed and a tell-tale frown consumed her features.

"I called out and he turned to look at me. He….he…" Her eyes opened again, but this time they were filled with a horror Gibbs hoped he would never see again. "Tony was right," she half whispered. "He did try to kill me. Why Daddy? Why would he do that?"

Unsure as to how he managed to find the words, Gibbs began speaking, hoping to bring some peace to his daughter.

"Honey, your Abba was a very sick man. He was angry at the world and he wanted to hurt as many people as he could.

"Like me?"

"And me."

Her innocence was tearing his heart out. He thought carefully about each and every word so as not to add to her pain and confusion. "Ziva, Abba no longer knew who were his family, his friends or his enemies. So he just tried to hurt everyone."

"Why was he bleeding?"

Gibbs had to think for a minute as to what she meant. Realizing she had moved on to what she remembered from that day, he took another silent breath before saying, "He'd been shot." He didn't feel the need to tell her who had shot him, not unless she asked.

"Then Timmy shot him as well," she said and Gibbs couldn't help the relief he felt knowing she hadn't asked. Trying to explain that he'd taken a shot at Eli David because he knew the man was hell bent on killing his own daughter was something he felt Ziva was too young to hear. Passing the man's actions off as a reaction to the circumstances was one thing, but to explain that her own father cold heartedly planned to kill her was another thing entirely.

"Yes, he did," replied Gibbs. "To save you."

"I remember," whispered Ziva, nodding. "I fell and bumped my head but I remember seeing Timmy in the doorway."

Again, she fell silent, her lip now becoming the target of her continued worrying.

"Daddy?" she eventually said. "Abba must have really hated me to want to kill me?"

Gibbs was sure he felt his own heart breaking.

"Sweetheart, I don't know what your Abba thought. As I said before, his mind was very sick. He didn't think like you or I do. He wanted to be very powerful and control people but people don't like being controlled and so he made a lot of enemies. Then he thought everyone was out to get him and so he decided he would kill them first. But he's gone now honey and all you need to remember is that you are safe and very, very loved."

"You don't want to kill me do you?"

"Of course not!" Gibbs' tone couldn't be more definite if he tried. "I am a very different man to your Abba. In fact, there aren't many people in the world that are like your Abba. Most people don't try to kill others. They just live their lives and do happy things like hug their little girls and tickle them to make them smile."

The sound of her giggles as he ticked her ribs was music to Gibbs' ears.

"I love you Ziva Gibbs, always will. And so does Mommy, and Tony and Tim and Abby."

"And Grandpa Jack?" offered Ziva.

"And Grandpa Jack," agreed Gibbs. "And Uncle Mike. Wow, you have so many people who love you."

She giggled again.

"I'm pretty lucky aren't I."

"The luckiest girl in the world," agreed Gibbs. "Now, how about we go and make some hot chocolate before bedtime?"

"Yay!" cheered Ziva as she crawled off his lap. "That's a great idea Daddy!"

As he watched her run out the door, Gibbs said quietly, "And I'm the luckiest man in the world."

****NCIS****

The silence of the night was suddenly torn apart as Gibbs and Jenny were awoken by the sounds of a child screaming.

"That's Tony," exclaimed Gibbs as he dived out of bed.

With Jenny close behind, Gibbs staggered into the other bedroom, only to find Tony sitting bolt upright in bed. His eyes were open but he was clearly still asleep. Around him, Tim, Abby and Ziva stared, their eyes round like saucers. On seeing her parents enter the room, Ziva immediately began whimpering.

"What's wrong with Tony? Make him stop!"

He's just having a nightmare Sweetheart," reassured Gibbs. "Why don't you go into Mommy and Daddy's bed for a bit. Maybe Abby could lay down with you?" The latter part of the question directed at his eldest.

"Sure," replied Abby, gently lifting Ziva from her bed and carrying her to the back bedroom. On cue, Tim followed behind, knowing Tony needed privacy with his Mom and Dad.

Another piercing scream left Tony's mouth.

"Tony, Tony," called Gibbs softly trying not to startle the boy. "Wake up, Buddy. It's just a dream."

Placing his hand around Tony's shoulders, Gibbs gently squeezed until Tony's eyes eventually focused as his mind drifted back to the safety of the camper. Seeing his Dad standing so close, the young boy leaned onto his Gibbs' shoulder and began to sob. Without hesitation, Gibbs reached under Tony's arms and pulled the boy down from the top bunk. Taking a seat on Tim's bed, he arranged Tony on his lap while Jenny sat next to them both.

Allowing Tony the freedom to cry until there were no more tears to shed, Gibbs and Jenny waited patiently. Their soft cooing and stroking hands giving comfort where it was most needed.

"It's so dark," cried Tony, the sobs having subsided into hiccupping gulps.

Misunderstanding the boy's meaning, Gibbs said, "It's night time Tony, but the light's on."

"No, the basement. It's dark. Too dark!"

Tony's breathing was ragged and Jenny wondered whether the boy was still asleep and dreaming. But, as Gibbs held him tightly, Tony began to speak.

"I kept telling Grandpa to turn on the light but he said it was safer without the lights on. And then there were shots and screams and I didn't know what was happening. I heard shouting and people falling but I couldn't really hear what was being said. And the darkness scared me so much. I tried to run up the stairs but Grandpa grabbed me and then all I could do was listen in the darkness to all the shouts and gunshots. I….I thought everyone was dead. I thought you were dead!"

As the words tumbled out, Gibbs and Jenny listened to their child as he relived the worst day of his life. All his fears and anxieties were realized in that short but profound speech and, finally, they understood so much of why Tony had behaved the way he had since the shooting. Why he was afraid of the dark, why he was so insecure, why he had frozen at the sound of the gunshots in Apollo Bay. It all suddenly made sense. Neither of them had any idea Jack had kept the lights off in basement. By the time Gibbs went to get his son, Jack had realized the drama was over and the basement was as Gibbs had left it. While they understood and even agreed with Jack's decision, it suddenly hit them how terrifying that must have been for Tony.

"Oh Tony," exclaimed Gibbs, his own eyes filled with tears for the terrified little boy that sat on his lap. "I'm so sorry. I had no idea. I didn't know, Buddy, I didn't know."

Reaching out to grip Tony's shaking hand, Jenny said, "Grandpa Jack didn't tell us Tony. I can't even begin to imagine how scary that must have been for you."

"I thought you were both dead," sobbed Tony. "I thought everyone was dead."

Unable to hold back the tears, both Gibbs and Jenny cried freely with their son. Tears for the fear he had endured and tears for the freedom he could now enjoy.

"I'm so glad you told us honey," said Jenny between her own sobs.

It was then that Tony looked first at Jenny and then at Gibbs.

"Why are you both crying?" he asked.

"For you, Sweetie," replied Jenny, half laughing, half sobbing. "We're crying for what you went through and how frightened you were but we're also crying because we so happy you have finally told us what's been bothering you. Now we can help you."

"I didn't want to tell you because I felt so dumb," said Tony. "I'm too old to be scared of the dark."

"No, you're not," said Gibbs quickly. "You're not too young or too old for any feelings. Your feelings are your own and it doesn't matter how old you are. Don't ever be ashamed of the way you feel, Tony."

"Honey, if anything you're feeling ever bothers or worries you, please talk to us. It's the only way we can help you."

Tony nodded at Jenny. "I will," he said softly.

"Do you understand why Grandpa turned off the lights?" asked Gibbs.

"Yeah," replied Tony. "But I still didn't like it."

"No, it would have been very scary," reinforced Jenny. "Can you think of anything Grandpa could have done that would have made you feel better?"

"Let me go upstairs!" The reply came swift and sure.

"Well, that wasn't going to happen," said Gibbs with a smile. "Grandpa was in charge of protecting you."

Yeah, I know," conceded Tony. "But maybe he could have tried to explain what was going on. What the sounds were…but then I guess he didn't know either."

"No," agreed Jenny. "You know, he was probably just as scared as you were. After all, your Dad is his son."

Tony looked up as if realizing this for the first time.

"Maybe we should have just held onto each other. You know, like hugged or something."

"That sounds like a great solution. Maybe that's what should have happened. Do you think that would have helped you?"

Tony glanced at Jenny. "Yeah. I think it may have helped Grandpa too."

"I agree." Reaching out, Jenny wiped away the tears that had settled on Tony's cheeks. "I think you both probably needed to know each of you was feeling as scared as the other."

Tony nodded slowly.

"It would have still been scary but maybe…maybe just a little bit less."

Jenny leaned over and kissed Tony on the cheek.

"You're a very clever young man Tony Gibbs," she said proudly. "Not many adults are able to work out what they can do to help themselves. I'm very proud of you."

Tony gave a watery smile.

"I'm still feeling a bit scared though. Can I….um…can I…"

"Sleep with us?" finished Gibbs.

"Yeah," said Tony. "Would that be OK?"

"Sure," agreed Gibbs. "Although you may need to share the bed with Abby Tim and Ziva if they've managed to fall asleep in there. Maybe we should all kip in your room."

Tony laughed then, a proper laugh that sent waves of pleasure through Jenny and Gibbs.

"Might be a good idea," agreed Tony.

As it turned out, it was only Ziva with whom Tony had to share his parent's bed. Snuggled in the middle between his sister and his father, Tony soon fell into a peaceful, dreamless sleep. Watching both children sleep, Jenny and Gibbs reflected on just how resilient kids could be. As they, too, finally drifted off to sleep, each hoped the next day would be the start of a new chapter in their lives. One where the shadows of the past could finally be swept away by the light of the future.


	20. Travels, Tricks and a Change in Thinking

**Thank you all for the fabulous reviews I received for Chapter 19. You guys are fantastic and always know how to lift a girl's spirit. :)**

 **I've posted some pictures on the Facebook page of the Coorong and Kingston. To visit, simply put "Mindless Creations" in the Facebook search bar. Please feel free to like and comment. I enjoy the informal chat aspect of Facebook.**

 **If you enjoy reading NCIS team as family, Papa Gibbs and a great case to boot, check out Internal Damage by Jenny Wrens. She has just finished this multi-chapter epic. It's a fantastic read!**

Chapter 20

"I'll drive today, if you like," offered Tim noticing Gibbs was already on this third cup of coffee and the clock hadn't even ticked past 8.30 yet.

Gibbs yawned before replying, "I might take you up on that, Tim. Sharing a double bed with two crawling caterpillars doesn't make for a restful night."

Tim laughed.

"Did Tony sleep OK for the rest of the night?"

"Oh yeah, he slept fine. So did Ziva. It was just Jen and I who tossed and turned around them."

"Do you think Tony will be OK now?" asked Tim. "I mean, now that he has confronted his fears from that day?"

After putting Tony to bed last night, Jenny and Gibbs had made a point of telling Tim and Abby what Tony had revealed after his nightmare, feeling it was important the whole family knew.

"I hope so," replied Gibbs. "Once the time zones align so everyone's awake, I'll have Tony call Dad. I spoke with him last night after everyone was back in bed. I had just meant to give him a heads up for when Tony called, but he didn't take the news too well. I ended up spending nearly thirty minutes trying to convince him everything was fine and we understood, even agreed, with his decision to keep the lights off. Still, I think a call from Tony will be good for both of them. I'll try for tonight. If Tony calls around 8.30pm, that's 6.30am Dad's time. I was thinking this morning would have been good but Dad already had plans for the evening."

When Tim looked at him curiously, Gibbs raised one eyebrow and smirked. "He has a hot date, apparently."

Tim chuckled and lifted his coffee cup to his lips. Swallowing the caffeinated brew, he heard an impatient growl from Gibbs and looked up just as the older man retrieved his mug from the coffee machine.

"Coffee's out!" grumbled Gibbs, spotting the pathetic drips barely covered the bottom of the mug. He glanced at his watch. "Still time for another round!"

Tim smirked and continued drinking while Gibbs filled the machine for coffee number four. Turning away from the counter, Gibbs called out to Tony who, he suddenly realized, had been in the bathroom for nearly ten minutes.

"Tony! You making out your will in there?"

"Huh?" called Tony having no idea what his Dad meant.

Sharing a knowing smile with Tim, Gibbs shook his head

"Hurry up!" he bellowed.

"Nearly done," echoed Tony's voice.

A few minutes later, as Gibbs impatiently waited for the coffee to brew, he and Tim finally heard the toilet flush. A brief spurt of water followed before Tony's head appeared around the door.

"Hey Dad, where's the air freshener?"

"That bad, huh?" remarked Gibbs. "Why didn't you go to the public rest rooms for that. You know Mom hates it when it stinks out the camper."

"Yeah, that's why I want the air freshener," replied Tony. "It wasn't exactly planned. I went in to pee and the other…well…it just arrived."

Gibbs laughed and opened the bottom cupboard under the sink. Pulling out a new spray bottle, he passed it through the door.

"Here you go, Bud. And spray well."

As Tony gratefully took the bottle and closed the door, Gibbs called out. "And wash your hands!"

"I did!" called Tony.

"With soap?" inquired Gibbs, knowing full well the two second dip under the water was not going to suffice.

Listening to the generous spray of the air freshener, Gibbs smiled when the water was turned on and the unmistakable sounds of hands being thoroughly scrubbed filtered through the door.

"The girls are taking a while," commented Tim. "I thought they were just getting some milk?"

"They are," agreed Gibbs. "But with Ziva and Abby in tow, anything could happen."

As if on cue, the camper door opened and Ziva entered. Sighing dramatically, she made an exaggerated effort of putting the milk on the table.

"Phew, that's heavy!" she announced loudly.

"Well, you insisted on carrying it the whole way," pointed out Jenny as she and Abby followed behind. "We both offered to take it off your hands."

"I wanted to carry it," replied Ziva.

Jenny rolled her eyes and watched as Ziva skipped to Gibbs and raised her arms.

"Lift me up Daddy!" she demanded. "I want to show you something."

Doing as he was told, Gibbs lifted Ziva until her legs straddled his waist and waited while she fished something out of the front pocket of her denim overalls.

"Look what I've got," she said, holding a small stone under Gibbs' nose. "Isn't it pretty!"

Almost going cross-eyed with the attempt to admire the small purple treasure, Gibbs asked, "Is that a pebble?"

"No, it's a gemstone Daddy," said Ziva scornfully. "It's called Am…Amethyst. The lady in the store had heaps of them in a big bowl and I picked this one for me and this one…" she paused to fish out a second stone, "….for Tony."

"What's for me?" asked Tony as he emerged from the bathroom.

"This Tony," said Ziva excitedly, scrambling to get down. As Gibbs deposited her on the floor, Ziva held out her hand to show Tony the small stone.

"It's called Jasper and I thought you might like it to go with your Tiger's Eye aaaand," she continued, drawing out the word. "Mommy said her Daddy's name was Jasper so it's doubly special."

"Thanks Zi," said Tony kindly, taking the small, rust colored gemstone and examining it closely.

"Tony, did you do a poop?" asked Jenny, sniffing the air.

"I sprayed," said Tony indignantly, offended by the question.

"I know," replied Jenny drolly. "It smells like a lavender farm is being cultivated in the bathroom.

"I think it smells nice, Mommy," remarked Ziva, indicating her approval by sniffing the air and plastering a sickly smile on her face.

"Why didn't you use the Park's restroom?" asked Jenny as she reached over and turned on the exhaust fan before the kitchen was consumed in lavender fumes.

"It's OK, Hon," interrupted Gibbs. "We've already had this conversation. Apparently, it was a...er...last-minute surprise. Coffee?"

"Yes please," replied Jenny gratefully, fanning the fumes with her hand before stepping closer to the coffee machine.

As Gibbs filled a mug for Jenny, as well as his own, Ziva and Tony disappeared into their room.

"Make sure your cupboards and drawers are secured," called Jenny. "And don't get out any toys, we'll be leaving in half an hour."

Watching as Jenny slumped into the chair, Tim said, "You look stressed."

Jenny smiled at him as she sipped her coffee. "No, just tired."

"Tim's offered to drive this morning," said Gibbs as he took as seat next to Jenny.

"Oh, that reminds me," said Jenny suddenly. "While Ziva was picking out the gemstones, I got talking to the women in the store and told her we were headed for Meningie. She suggested we go to Victor Harbor instead. They have a penguin parade in the evenings. She thought it would be nice for the children to watch."

"How much further is Victor Harbor?" asked Gibbs.

"She thought only a couple of hours," replied Jenny.

Taking out his phone, Tim opened Google Maps. After a couple of minutes of furious swiping he said, "Pretty spot on. It's two hours and three minutes."

"Yeah, that's for people who travel without a camper and two young children," replied Gibbs wryly. "We'll call it three hours longer."

Tim laughed. "I'm still happy to drive all the way. It'll actually make a nice change."

"Thanks Tim," said Jenny. "After last night, we appreciate the offer."

"What offer?" asked Abby, strolling into the kitchen area.

"Tim's driving today," announced Gibbs.

"Hey, I could drive too," offered Abby, grabbing a mug and filling it with coffee.

"No problem," said Gibbs. "You can drive the next leg of our journey." He turned to Jenny, "At this rate, I may never have to drive again!"

"Oh, hang on," said Abby suddenly. "I just remembered. They drive on the other side of the road here."

"So?" replied Gibbs."

"Yeah, that isn't gonna work for me," explained Abby. "They have way too many roundabouts in this country."

Gibbs chuckled.

"It's not that bad Abbs. You soon get used to it. But," he added, seeing the concern on Jenny's face. "If you're not confident, I wouldn't suggest towing the camper while you learn. Maybe you could do a couple of shorter day trips until you get used to it."

"Nah," replied Abby. "I'm happy to be a passenger."

Jenny suddenly laughed. "Thank god, Ziva's too young to drive," she said, in a low voice. "I traveled through Eastern Europe with her once, that was bad enough." She grinned cheekily at Gibbs. "When she's old enough, I'll be teaching her how to drive. With you as her instructor she'll end up with the same skills."

"Hey!" said Gibbs indignantly. "I'm an excellent driver."

Jenny smiled as she lifted the coffee mug to her lips. "Well, I must admit, you are much better with the kids on board. I guess they have mellowed you after all."

****NCIS****

With Tim in the driver's seat, the family left Mount Gambier and followed the Princess Hwy towards their next destination. The road, for it really wasn't a highway by anyone's standard, meandered along the south-east coast of South Australia maintaining a continuous view of salt bush and sandy earth. So monotonous was the landscape, it wasn't long before Tony, Ziva, Gibbs and Jenny had nodded off to sleep.

An hour and a half later, as they drove through the town of Kingston, Abby woke everyone with her excited chatter and insistence they stop to take a photo of everyone in front of the Big Lobster.

"What's a big lobster?" asked Ziva, rubbing her eyes and peering out the window.

"Lobsters are arthropods," began Abby remembering the information she has memorized as part of her middle school biology exams. "They are an invertebrate animal which means they have an exoskeleton – "

"It's like a big crab," interrupted Gibbs, always one to keep things simple.

Ziva nodded.

"But why is it so special?" asked Tony. "And why would you want to take a photo of us with it? Is it in a giant water tank or something?"

"No," said Abby giggling. "Look to your right Tony."

As everyone turned to look out the right-side windows, a gargantuan, shiny, red crustacean towered over the landscape.

Ziva paled. "That will kill us if we get too close!" she spluttered fearfully.

"It isn't real dummy," scoffed Tony. "It's a statue."

"Don't call me a dummy," replied Ziva indignantly. "I didn't know. It looks real."

"It does look real," placated Jenny, ending any further arguments between the siblings. "And, it looks like a great spot to stop and stretch our legs."

Finding a parking space long enough to cater for the SUV and camper, Tim pulled in and turned off the engine.

As they exited the car, Gibbs stretched languidly. Turning to Tim he said, "Thanks for driving, Tim. That extra hour of sleep was just what I needed."

"No problem," replied Tim congenially. "I'm happy to drive all the way."

Gibbs smiled and patted Tim on the back. "We'll see how I feel when it's time to leave again."

Tim nodded. Knowing how much Gibbs liked to be in control, the younger man was willing to bet his life savings, Gibbs would be driving the next leg of the journey.

After taking the obligatory photos of everyone standing in front of the Big Lobster, Abby was thrilled when a young woman offered to take a photo of all six of them. Jumping at the chance of a full family photo, Abby happily handed over her phone and squished in with the others. After insisting the woman take at least five photos "just in case", the family thanked their kind Samaritan before heading over to the restaurant for a coffee and morning tea.

Having finished their drink and donuts in record time, it wasn't long before Tony and Ziva began fidgeting in their chairs. After hearing Jenny tell Tony, for the third time, to stop swinging back on his chair, Gibbs gulped down the last of his coffee and abruptly stood.

"Come on, you two," he ordered. "Let see what the gift shop has to offer."

An immense relief washed over both children at their Father's words for two reasons. One, they weren't about to get into trouble as they had first thought and, two, they were being granted freedom from the small talk of the adults around the table.

Quickly turning to his Mom, Tony asked for his wallet.

"I haven't hardly spent any of my money yet," he announced to the table at large as Jenny handed him his wallet, thick with notes and coins. Shaking it covetously, he added, "I bet I could buy that Lobster out there."

"Don't think it will fit in the camper," remarked Gibbs taking Ziva's hand and steering the children towards the door.

Once inside the gift shop, Gibbs quickly deduced Tony was indeed in a spending mood. Within five minutes of wandering around, he had collected a small replica of the giant Lobster, a plastic puzzle square in which you had to systematically move the nine tiles around until it formed the picture of a koala and tiny figurine of a fairy penguin.

"Don't spend all your money, Tony," advised Gibbs after seeing the stash in the boy's hand. "We've still got other places to visit."

"I won't," said Tony. "Besides, all this only adds up to about ten dollars. I have heaps in here." He indicated his wallet with a nod in its direction before wandering off towards the back of the store.

"Daddy! Daddy!"

Gibbs' attention was caught as Ziva called to him from the other side of the store. Jumping up and down in excitement, Gibbs headed in her direction.

"Can I pleeeeeease have this," she begged when Gibbs eventually reached her side.

She was pointing to a large ceramic statue of a pelican. While beautiful, Gibbs could tell just by looking at it, it was going to be very expensive. Carefully lifting it off the shelf, He looked underneath and saw the price tag. He'd been right. Next to the maker's stamp was a sticker proclaiming the statue would give them five cents change from one hundred and fifty dollars.

"Can I hold it Daddy?" asked Ziva excitedly.

"No, sorry Pumpkin," replied Gibbs, carefully placing the figurine on the shelf. "It very breakable and very expensive."

"How much?" asked Ziva, not hiding the disappointment she felt in not being able to caress the beautiful pelican.

"One hundred and fifty dollars," said Gibbs.

Ziva's eyes widened in disbelief.

"I don't even have fifty dollars," she remarked sadly, dropping her chin to her chest.

Overcome with empathy for his little girl, Gibbs reached down and picked her up. "How about we look over there," he said, pointing to a shelf of plastic figurines. "Tony found a small penguin. There may be a pelican there as well."

Nodding her head despondently, Ziva allowed her Father to carry her to where an array of assorted Australian animals filled a large glass shelf. Scanning the shelf carefully, Ziva's sharp eyes soon found what she was looking for.

"I found one Daddy," she cried excitedly, her earlier disappointment forgotten.

Following the gaze of her pointed finger, Gibbs reached through the many plastic replicas until his fingers touched the small pelican. Picking it up carefully, he extracted it from its friends and held it up for Ziva to take.

"Can I have this one, please?" she asked hopefully.

Having already checked the price at two ninety-five, Gibbs nodded.

Reaching the counter as Tony was finishing his purchase, Gibbs handed Ziva a five dollar note and waited while she bought the small pelican.

"A pelican! Cool!" said Tony, leaning over and spying the small figurine. "I got a fairy penguin just like that."

Spying Tony's bag, Gibbs said, "What did you buy Tony? That bag looks like it holds more than the few things I saw in your hand."

"Oh, I got a book as well," replied Tony. "It was on special for five nine-five."

"Here you go, Sweetie," said the lady behind the counter handing Ziva a small paper bag along with a two dollar coin and five cent piece in change.

"Can I keep this Daddy?" she asked, holding up the coins.

"Sure," replied Gibbs. "You can exchange them for a five dollar bill, seeing as that's what you owe me."

"Not fair!" said Ziva, pouting.

"Yes it is," contradicted Gibbs. "We give you fifteen dollars pocket money a week. It's up to you what you do with it."

Guiding the children out of the store, Gibbs headed towards the café but was met half way by the others.

"Ready for leg two?" he asked.

He held out his hand to Tim who quickly deduced he was asking for the keys.

"Didn't think you could be a passenger for long," quipped Jenny, shaking her head.

Before Gibbs had chance to reply, Jenny was quickly distracted by the two children trying to vie for her attention.

"Look what I bought, Mommy," said Ziva, holding up the small pelican. "Oh, and can I have my purse? I owe Daddy five dollars.

"Look Mom," demanded Tony, shaking his own bag in Jenny's face. "I bought four things! A Big Lobster statue, a fairy penguin like Ziva's pelican, a puzzle and this book. Take a look Mom! It was on special."

Fishing into her bag for Ziva's purse, Jenny tried to keep up with Tony's excitement. However, it wasn't until she finally handed the small purse to Ziva, did she really get a good look at the book Tony was waving in her face.

Reading the title, Jenny tried to keep a smile plastered on her face while her mind went into overdrive as to why Jethro would agree to Tony buying such a book.

"Isn't it great?" remarked Tony excitedly. "I can't wait to read it!"

As Tony turned to show Tim and Abby, Jenny shifted her gaze to Gibbs only to find the man was half-way to the parking lot. Jogging to catch him, she reached out with her arm, encouraging him to slow his pace.

"You seriously couldn't have discouraged Tony from buying that book?" she asked incredulously.

Gibbs stopped and looked at Jenny. "What book?" he asked.

Jenny sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Jethro!" she groaned in exasperation.

"Jen, I didn't see the book," defended Gibbs. "By the time I'd managed to convince Ziva she didn't need a one hundred and fifty dollar statue of a pelican, he'd already bought his stuff. Why? What's the problem?"

"Tony," called Jenny, grabbing the attention of the eleven year old. "Come and show Dad your book."

Holding the book close to his chest, Tony ran over to where his parents stood. On reaching them, he held out the book so Gibbs could see the title.

"100 Ways To Prank Your Family And Friends!"

"Great book hey Dad!" exclaimed Tony. Then giggling, he added, "I can't wait to try out some of these on Tim."

"Tony!" Jenny admonished lifting her hand to her forehead in exasperation.

"What?" asked Tony in surprise. "Dad said we could spend our money however we wanted. Well, I wanted this book."

Jenny raised one eyebrow and looked at Gibbs.

"Yep! That's what I said," agreed Gibbs. Then, seeing the look on Jenny's face added, "Aw, come on Jen, it's the right of every boy to own a book like this. It'll be fine."

Smiling happily, Tony opened the book to an already dog-eared page and said, "Listen to this one! Put a dead fly in an ice-cube tray, fill with water and freeze. Later, serve drinks with the 'flied ice' in it." He began to laugh hysterically. "Oh wow! This one's even better! When someone is asleep on the couch, tie their shoelaces together. Then wait until they wake and try to walk."

Jenny leaned into Gibbs and said softly, "So, when you fall on your ass, I'll remind you of those words."

Gibbs opened his mouth to retaliate but, before he could comment further, Tony suddenly fell on his knees and clutched at his stomach.

"What's wrong Tony?" asked Jenny, her voice thick with concern.

Crouching to his son's side, Gibbs lifted Tony's chin. Jenny was surprised when Gibbs simply rolled his eyes and resumed his standing position. Glancing at Tony, she knew why. The boy wasn't sick, he was laughing so hard he could no longer stand.

"Oh…you've got….to….hear….this one," he spluttered between breaths. Lifting the book, he cleared his throat and read, "Cover over the toilet bowl in cling wrap, then wait for your next unsuspecting victim."

Jenny turned to Gibbs. "Fine, Jethro," she said smugly. "You're in charge of any messes, damages or injuries."

Paling suddenly, Gibbs turned to Tony.

"OK Tony," he said, reaching down and pulling the boy to his feet. "Listen very carefully. You can keep the book on three conditions."

Tony abruptly stopped laughing and his shoulders slumped. "What are they?" he said dejectedly.

Gibbs held up one finger. "One, there are to be no pranks that will damage property." He followed this with the raising of a second finger. "Two, no pranks that will injure people and three…" A third finger was raised. "You are responsible for any major messes caused by the pranks. Are we clear?"

"Clear Dad," agreed Tony. The three conditions hadn't been as bad as he'd anticipated.

"Oh, and Tony?"

"Yeah Dad?"

"The cling wrap on the toilet is definitely banned!"

Tony slumped in disappointment. "But that's the best one," he whined.

"So you would be happy cleaning up the mess afterwards?" asked Gibbs.

Thinking the process through, Tony suddenly blanched.

"Got it Dad! No cling wrap on the toilet seat," he said.

****NCIS****

The next leg of the journey took them directly alongside the Coorong. As Tim had predicted, Gibbs was more than keen to take control of the driving again. Still feeling the effects of the night before, Jenny insisted Tim sit in the front passenger seat and keep Gibbs awake while she sat next to Abby in the back. The next section of travel was around ninety minutes, just enough for quick nap before lunch.

Tony spent the time avidly reading his book. He'd learnt from earlier that it was best to keep the details of the pranks to himself, planning carefully which ones he could inflict on his family. It was, therefore, a rather nervous assembly of adult passengers who listened with concern to the occasional evil giggle the emanated from the rear of the car.

Only Ziva was unfazed by Tony's latest acquisition. Staring out the window, she scanned the area carefully for any sign of pelican life, determined to be the next Storm Boy.

"Daddy, if we see an injured pelican, can we keep it?"

"No honey," replied Gibbs, making eye contact via the rear view window. "I doubt we'd see any injured pelicans anyway."

"But what if we do?" she asked.

"Then we'll call the people who look after injured wildlife," replied Gibbs.

"W.I.R.E.S." said Abby quickly.

When Tim turned around and gave her a questioning look, she added, "Wildlife Information and Rescue Services. Well, that's what they called it in New South Wales. Not sure if it's the same Australia wide."

"Along the side of the road, they have signs that give you a number to call if you see any sick or injured wildlife," added Tim helpfully. "Oh, there's one coming up now."

Ziva stretched forward and squinted out the front window. In the distance, she could see a small yellow sign but, as the car sped passed it, she slumped back in her seat.

"How are we supposed to read that?" she asked scornfully.

"If we had an injured animal on board, we'd stop and take down the number," explained Tim.

"Maybe we should take it down anyway, just in case?" suggested Ziva hopefully.

"Ziva, I don't think there'll be any need for it," said Gibbs. "I think our chances of finding an injured animal are pretty low."

Ziva sighed and sat back into her seat. "I want to rescue a baby pelican," she mumbled to herself.

As they drove into the town of Meningie, Gibbs pulled into the first service station to fill up with gas. As he went in to pay, he asked the teller if she could recommend a good place to stop for lunch. Naming both the local pub and takeaway as good choices, Gibbs took the recommendations back to the family.

It was Jenny's voice of reason that decided things for them. Pointing out that dinner was most likely to be take out, it would be a good idea to have something decent for lunch. And so, with the pub chosen as their culinary introduction to Meningie, the family entered the Art Deco style, two story building.

Once everyone had decided what they would like to eat, Gibbs headed to the bar to place their orders. He returned a few minutes later with drinks for everyone.

"I wonder what's happening at home?" said Abby wistfully as she took a sip of her drink.

"Home or work?" asked Gibbs.

Abby shrugged, "Both," she replied. "I hate to imagine what my lab will look life after having strangers in it for so long. I hope my babies will forgive me."

Ziva looked up and frowned.

"Babies?" she questioned. "Do you have babies at work? I thought you worked with Daddy at NCIS doing science stuff?"

"Yeah, I do," replied Abby cheerfully. "All the special machines I have in my lab that help me to solve cases, I call my babies. They are like my children." Abby placed a hand over her heart for dramatic effect.

Ziva's brow furrowed further.

"I don't understand. How can machines be your children."

"There not really her children," said Jenny, stepping in before the conversation became too confusing. "What Abby means is because her machines are very expensive and she couldn't do her work without them, she takes care of them and loves them as if they were her children. She called them her 'Babies' as a nickname."

Ziva nodded in understanding.

"You thinking about home?" asked Gibbs, staring at Abby and trying to gauge where her thought processes were going.

"A little," said Abby sighing. "I mean, I love this vacation and everything we're doing but…well, I guess a part of me is ready to be home again."

"I miss my stuff at home," said Tony, looking up from the prank book he had brought in with him. "I've still got stuff from my birthday I haven't even opened yet. There's a Lego spaceship kit Tim bought me that I really want to put together."

Tim acknowledged Tony with a smile. "I know a way we can motorize that spaceship," he said, his grin widening. "I bet we could make it really fly."

"That'd be awesome Tim," replied Tony. "Let's make that the first thing we do when we get home."

"Deal!" said Tim, raising his hand to hi-five Tony.

"What about you Tim?" asked Gibbs. "What are your thoughts on returning home?"

Tim thought for a moment before answering. "I'm not sure Boss," he replied honestly. "There are parts of work I really miss like going out in the field, investigating crime scenes, solving cases. But, it's going to be so different when we return." He tried to avoid looking at Tony or Ziva. "The team….well….you know, it won't be the same."

"Yeah," agreed Gibbs, the word catching in his throat.

"Why?" asked Tony, looking at Tim.

"Huh?" asked Tim.

"Why won't it be the same?"

"Um…well….er," stammered Tim.

"Two team members left recently," replied Gibbs, relieving Tim from having to answer. "We need to replace them. New team members can sometimes be tricky. You have to get to know them. How they think, react. All that takes time."

"So... you'll still be catching bad guys then?" asked Tony. Gibbs didn't miss the fear that flashed in his eyes.

Gibbs nodded. "We will," he replied truthfully, not wishing to sugar coat the situation.

"Mom said you do that job so the world can be safer for kids like me and Ziva," said Tony thoughtfully. "But that means you have to do dangerous things to make it that way."

Gibbs took a deep breath before speaking.

"To be an NCIS agent, we have to go through specialized training. It's not just about carrying a gun and fighting the bad guys all the time. We learn ways to keep ourselves safe. We don't take unnecessary risks and we make sure there are people looking out for us. We don't work alone, we work as a team. We help each other and protect each other."

"And sometimes Tony, we can spend days just working in the office," added Tim. He leaned into Tony and said in a stage whisper, "Those days can be the most dangerous."

"How?" asked Tony, staring at Tim incredulously.

"Because your Dad hates desk work and if he has to spend more than a day sitting at his desk, he gets so grumpy he starts growling at everyone like a wounded bear and smacks us if we even look at him the wrong way!"

Tony's eyes widened in surprise.

"Really? He smacks you? How?"

"Like this," said Gibbs. He leaned across the table and, with his right hand, connected loudly with the back of Tim's head.

Tim gasped and Abby and Jenny giggled.

"Wow, I'd forgotten what that felt like," said Tim, rubbing his skull vigorously.

"Daddy!" exclaimed Ziva. "That's a mean thing to do!"

"I agree Ziva," said Abby grinning mischievously.

"Does Dad do that to you too?" asked Tony, looking at Abby.

"Nope," replied Abby. "I'm the favorite at work. I don't get smacked."

"Don't count on it," replied Gibbs, his eye twinkling playfully. "Your days of being immune are over young lady."

"Gibbs!" blurted Abby in shock. "You wouldn't!"

"Oh, you better believe it," said Gibbs, enjoying the look on Abby's face. "Except, with you, my aim will be lower."

Abby blushed furiously and pretended to pout. "Not fair Gibbs!" she whined.

"How about you, Jenny?" said Tim, changing the subject. "Are looking forward to being the Director again?"

"Of course," replied Jenny smugly. "It means I get to boss Jethro around."

Ziva giggled loudly.

"Who are you giggling at," asked Gibbs, leaning in and poking Ziva in the ribs. The little girl laughed even harder.

"You, Daddy," she said squirming away from his tickling fingers.

Further retribution was put on hold however, when a waitress appeared carrying several plates.

"Two porterhouse steaks with chips and vegies?" she asked, looking around the table.

As Gibbs and Tim raised their arms, the waitress deposited the plates of food in front of them. Announcing the vegetarian lasagna, she happily placed her third dish in front of Abby before retreating to the kitchen. She quickly returned with the rest of the meals along with cutlery and napkins.

As Gibbs handed out the silverware, he thought back to their recent conversation. It had been the first time they had really discussed the prospect of being home again since they'd left the US a few short weeks ago. He wondered if, maybe, the family were ready to embrace the routines and challenges of their old lives.

Picking up his knife and fork, he turned to look at Jenny and smiled warmly.

"You thinking what I'm thinking," she said softly, returning the smile.

"Hmmm," murmured Gibbs, cutting into his steak. "Might be time for a serious family discussion."

"I agree," replied Jenny. "I think everyone is just about ready to face the future again."

"Means cutting our trip short," mumbled Gibbs around a large piece of steak.

Jenny rolled her eyes at his lack of table manners.

"Well, this trip was all about healing and I think we've done a pretty good job of that."

Gibbs nodded. Swallowing, he added, "Let's discuss it properly tonight. But, I agree. I think it's time we looked at heading home."

Jenny leaned in and gave him a quick kiss. "I like the sound of that," she said softly. "Home…"

 **AN: Only a couple more chapters to go and I'll finish this story. I'm looking forward to our family getting back to normal life again.**


	21. Rain, Rain, Go Away!

Chapter 21 – Rain, Rain, Go Away!

"Hurry up Tony or we'll be late. You need to put your shoes and jacket on," called Jenny, stepping around Abby and walking towards the small bedroom.

"I can't find my jacket!" yelled Tony, his voice reverberating around the camper.

"I'm right here, Tony," replied Jenny calmly.

Tony turned to see his mother peering into the shared bedroom.

"I can't find my Jacket, Mom," he repeated.

"Yes, I heard you the first time. Where did you last put it."

Tony threw up his arms in frustration. "I don't know!"

"I've always thought that was a ridiculous thing to say," added Abby loudly, leaning over her platform boots as she laboriously hooked each shiny black button. "I mean, if you knew where you last put something, it wouldn't be lost."

"Yes, thank you Abby for that enlightening observation."

Gibbs tried to hide the smirk that was itching to escape following Jenny's sarcastic retort.

"And you could be more helpful," she said, shooting the accusation in Gibbs' direction.

Glaring at the bemused look on the man's face, Jenny rolled her eyes and continued, "Ziva's standing there with no sweater, let alone a jacket and sneakers that need lacing!"

Feeling suitably chastised, Gibbs creaked into action, wincing as his knee protested the change in position.

"This table will be the death of my knee," he complained loudly. "There's no room to stretch out."

"There's no room to do anything," snapped Jenny. "We are, without doubt, outgrowing this camper."

With plans to only stay two nights in Victor Harbor, Gibbs had decided there was little point in spending the time putting up the annex. His decision was made even easier when they arrived at the new destination surrounded by grey clouds and drizzling rain. However, this now meant the family were cramp inside the camper and it didn't take long for tempers to flare. Already tired from a night of little to no sleep, Jenny's patience was rapidly deteriorating.

Deciding it was best to remain silent, Gibbs crouched in front of Ziva and began re-threading the errant shoe laces.

"How come they're pulled out?" he asked, looking up into the innocent brown eyes.

Ziva shrugged.

"I don't know Daddy. I just found them that way," she replied.

When the laces were finally threaded and tied, Gibbs sent Ziva away to find a sweater and her jacket.

"Coming through," she said cheerfully as she passed by Jenny who was still standing in the doorway.

Skipping to the built in closet, she pulled opened the door and began rummaging through the various items of clothing.

"Got ya!" she said, pulling a purple waterproof jacket from its hanger. As her eye caught something bundled on the floor of the closet, Ziva bent forward until her head and torso practically disappeared from view.

"Found something else," she called in a sing-song voice.

Retreating out of the closet, she triumphantly held aloft Tony's navy waterproof jacket.

"Woohoo!" called Tony happily. Then, seeing the less than amused look on his Mother's face, added, "That was going to be the next place I looked."

"Really Tony?" replied Jenny. "I'd have thought the closet should have been the first place you looked."

Flashing an embarrassed grin, Tony snatched the jacket from his little sister's hand and high tailed it out of the bed room.

"You're welcome!" yelled Ziva. Rolling her eyes, she returned her attention to finding a sweater.

Jenny stifled a laugh. It appeared Ziva had been taking lessons in sarcasm as well.

"Everyone ready?" she asked surveying the family.

"Just about."

Abby's muffled voice called from the corner near the bathroom. With her head still bent low, she sighed loudly as she began working on the buttons of her other boot. Lifting a face reddened with the exertion of having it held low for a prolonged length of time, Abby grumbled, "I must have been out of it when I last took off these boots. I never undo all the buttons. It takes too long to put them on."

When Ziva reappeared from the bedroom, Gibbs gave a low chuckle. Walking over to his daughter, he lifted her and placed her on the counter.

"What Daddy?" she asked, frowning in confusion.

Gibbs laughed again.

"While I fully believe the pattern on the inside is just as good as the pattern on the outside, I'm not sure the general public is ready for your new fashion statement."

As Gibbs pointed to her sweater, Ziva flushed with embarrassment. In her haste to put it on, she hadn't noticed the garment was inside out. Lifting her arms as the sweater was removed, she waited patiently until it was turned the right way out and happily permitted her father to redress her.

With Abby upright again, Tony now wearing his 'missing' jacket and Ziva dressed to social conformities, Jenny opened the camper door. She stared out dismally. What had been light drizzle only a few minutes ago, was now a steady stream of relentless rain.

"Jethro," she called behind her. "Open the car please!"

Seeing the indicator lights flash, signalling the doors unlocking, Jenny sprinted from the camper to SUV. Opening the back door, she pulled the seat forward and waited while Tony and Ziva ran through the rain and crawled into the back seats. Leaving the door open for Abby and Tim who were quick on the heels of the younger two, Jenny climbed into the front passenger seat and was soon joined by Gibbs who brought up the rear.

"Phew," she said loudly, running her fingers through her, now damp, hair. "I hope it doesn't rain like this tomorrow."

"We can still see the penguins, can't we?" asked Ziva anxiously.

"It won't be much fun if it's pouring with rain," reasoned Jenny.

"I don't care if it rains," said Ziva, her eyes wide with impending disappointment. "And the penguins are wet anyway, so they won't care either."

Not wanting to risk a meltdown over something that may not even happen, Jenny smiled at her youngest.

"I'm sure tomorrow will be a much nicer day," she said cheerfully.

Ziva's sharp powers of observation didn't miss the doubt that lined Jenny's statement. Narrowing her eyes, she crossed her arms and said with determination. "Well, I'm going even if it's raining!"

Ignoring the comment, Jenny turned to the front and fervently prayed for a climatic turnaround within the next twelve hours.

Having decided, based on the weather, it would be easier to find somewhere to eat in for dinner rather than get take out, Gibbs cruised down the main street as the family looked out for a good place to dine.

"Pizza! Pizza! Pizza!" yelled Tony, the tip of his finger rhythmically hitting the window.

"Good spotting Tony," agreed Tim. "I'm in!"

"What about the rest of you?" called Gibbs to the occupants in general. "Happy with pizza?"

"It has a pasta bar as well," said Abby, reading the name of the restaurant. "I'm in."

"Me too!" yelled Ziva. "I want a Coke!"

Gibbs laughed. "I'm talking about food Ziva. You can get a Coke anywhere."

"I know," replied Ziva happily. "That's why I'm easily pleased."

Jenny and Gibbs exchanged a look of amusement.

"She gets that from you," they said in unison.

"Jinx!" yelled Tony. "Now neither of you can talk. Yay!"

"Only the people who speak at the same time can say jinx," called Jenny over her shoulder. "And unfortunately for you, we are both far too mature for such games."

"Jinx!" called Gibbs giving Jenny a devilish grin.

Tony guffawed loudly. "Ha ha ha, Mom!" he teased. "Now you have to be silent."

Parking the car in front of the restaurant, Gibbs leaned over and kissed Jenny on the lips. "Sorry hon, I couldn't resist."

"Hmmm," replied Jenny. While her tone indicated she was not amused, the twinkle in her eye said otherwise. "I'm sure I'm the only adult in this family sometimes."

"Mom! You're not allowed to speak," announced Tony loudly. "That's the rules."

"I released the curse when I gave Mom a kiss," replied Gibbs. "That's the rules!"

"Ew, gross!" yelled Tony. "I ain't never heard that rule before!"

"Haven't," corrected Jenny. "And it's a special rule for adults only." Lowering her voice, she looked at Gibbs and winked. "Along with a few others I can think of."

"Really?" inquired Gibbs his eyebrows shooting upwards, but Jenny had already opened the car door and was attempting to exit without getting too wet. Determined to finish the conversation later that evening, Gibbs followed suit.

Seated at a booth in a quiet corner of the restaurant, the family patiently awaited the meals they had just ordered with the waiter. With Ziva and Tony occupied completing the puzzles on their table mats, Gibbs decided now was as good a time as any to continue their lunchtime conversation about going home.

He cleared his throat.

"I gathered from our conversation at lunch, none of us would be opposed to heading back to the States soon?"

"What's opposed mean Daddy?" asked Ziva, her purple pencil suspended in mid air.

"Against," replied Gibbs. "None of us is against going home soon."

Ziva nodded but before she returned to drawing on her mat, she announced stubbornly, "As long as we see the penguins first."

Rolling his eyes, Gibbs continued. "So, penguins aside, is there anything else anyone really wants to do?"

"I'd like to visit my cousin, Boss," said Tim. "She's a fair distance away from here though, so I'd understand if we can't."

"Ah, Tim," groaned Gibbs apologetically. "I'd forgotten all about your cousin. She was the reason we chose Australia in the first place. Where does she live?"

"They run a Bed and Breakfast business in Coober Pedy," replied Tim.

"Where's that?" asked Tony, scrunching up his nose.

"Hang on, I'll get the details," said Tim, fishing into his pocket for his phone. "When we decided to do this vacation, I called Aunt Penny and got the details from her." He scrolled through his contact list while the others waited patiently.

"Found it," he announced gleefully. "The address is a PO Box but I have a phone number so I'll give them a call tomorrow."

"Woah Timmy!" exclaimed Abby, looking up from her own phone. "Do you have any idea how far away Coober Pedy is? According to Google Maps, it's nearly a thousand kilometres!"

"Wowsers!" shouted Tony. "That's a looooong way!"

Tim's face fell.

"It's possibly too far," he said sadly.

"Not at all," replied Gibbs and Tim looked up in surprise. "We can't come to Australia and not experience at least some of the outback."

"And, what a fantastic place to visit," said Jenny. "All those beautiful opals."

"Opals are gemstones," announced Ziva suddenly.

"They sure are, Honey," agreed Jenny. Turning to Gibbs she smiled and added, "Beautiful and expensive gemstones."

"I'll send you into the mines and you can find your own," quipped Gibbs, groaning loudly when Jenny elbowed him in the stomach.

"Even if you do find a rough opal, it costs a fortune to have it cut, polished and set," said Tim. "Tracy, my cousin, had one done. She said it would have been cheaper to buy the opal necklace already finished in the jewellers."

"Very sensible," concurred Jenny. "I think we can all learn from that."

Gibbs rolled his eyes and found a sudden interest in Ziva's table mat. He was much relieved when their food began arriving.

As the silverware was passed around, Tony nudged Tim.

"Can you pass me some napkins, please," he asked.

"You already have one," replied Tim, pointing to the napkin folded around the knife and fork.

"Yeah, but it's pizza, Tim," argued Tony. "I'm gonna need more than one."

Sighing, Tim reached over to the end of the table and grabbed an extra three napkins for Tony. He wasn't taking any chances on the boy saying he still didn't have enough. Passing them to Tony, Tim picked up his fork and, staring at his plate of pasta and salad, wondered where to start first. He was just about to dig in when he spied something black in the middle of the salad. With a horrified squawk, Tim leaped back from his plate.

Everyone looked up in surprise.

"What is it?" asked Gibbs, staring at the young man who had paled significantly.

"A…a….sp…spider in my salad," stammered Tim.

"What?" cried Abby. "Let me see!"

Leaning across the table, Abby squinted at Tim's plate. "Ew, that's disgusting," she exclaimed. "Call the waiter over. Demand another meal."

"No, it's OK," replied Tim, feeling the colour return to his face. "I'll just put the salad to one side. I don't feel like eating it anyway."

"No way, Timmy," said Abby angrily. "If you won't complain, I will."

Thrusting her arm into the air, Abby attempted to get the attention of the young waiter.

"Abby don't," growled Tony softly, turning red with embarrassment. "It's not a real spider."

Reaching across to Tim's plate, Tony extracted the small black spider.

"It's just a pretend spider, see," he said, holding it out for everyone to see. "It was a joke."

"Tony!" groaned Tim. "That's not funny. You know I don't like spiders."

"Yeah, I know," replied Tony grinning. "That's why I chose you."

Looking around the table, Tony's face fell when he saw the look on his Mother's face. "It was just a joke," he repeated a little less confidently than before.

"Give it here, please," said Jenny, holding out her hand.

Tony sighed and handed her the plastic arachnid.

"Will I get it back?" he asked dolefully.

"I'll think about it," replied Jenny, inspecting the toy. "Where'd you get this from, anyway?"

"It was in my prank book," said Tony. "Be thankful I used that one. The book suggested I find a real spider to use instead. Well, a dead one, but one that had been alive."

Jenny turned to Gibbs. "Still think the book was a great idea?"

"It's kind of funny," said Gibbs. Then, seeing the incredulous look on Jenny's face, added, "Oh come on Jen, it could have been worse."

"Yeah, I could have used a live spider," interjected Tony, pleased to see his Dad wasn't angry with him.

"I'd stay quiet if I were you," advised Gibbs. "Quit while you're ahead."

Tony closed his mouth with a snap.

Suddenly Abby laughed. "Good job I didn't call the waiter over. That would have been embarrassing."

"Anymore fake spiders?" asked Tim, cautiously picking up his fork again.

"No, that was the only one," replied Tony. "Sorry, Tim. I didn't mean to really scare you."

Tim laughed. "S'OK," he said, elbowing Tony in the ribs. "I guess it was a good prank to play. That spider looked pretty realistic. When did you put it in my salad?"

When you were grabbing the napkins," replied Tony smirking.

Shaking his head, Tim said, "Didn't think you needed more than one. With the rate of speed it takes you to finish a pizza, the food doesn't have time to stick to your fingers.

Grinning triumphantly, Tony took a large bite of his pizza.

Later that evening, just before the family started watching a DVD, Gibbs called Tony into his and Jenny's bedroom.

"What is it, Dad?" asked Tony as he entered the room. "Am I in trouble over the spider."

"Nah," replied Gibbs shaking his head. "Although, I wouldn't advise you play any tricks on Mom at the moment. She isn't overly impressed with that book."

Tony giggled. "I won't," he agreed.

"Last night after your nightmare," began Gibbs slowly, taking a seat on the bed. "I called Grandpa Jack and told him how scared you were in the basement."

Tony face fell. "But why, Dad?" he accused. "I don't want Grandpa to feel bad about it."

"Neither do I, Tony," said Gibbs quickly. "That's not why I called him."

"You shouldn't have called him at all," continued Tony angrily. "Now he'll feel bad and think I'm a baby."

"Hey," interrupted Gibbs. "That's not true. Yes, he's worried about you but he knows you understand why he had to turn off the lights. He also knows that Mom and I think it was the best thing for him to do."

Gibbs reached out and pulled Tony onto his lap. Resistant at first, the boy eventually allowed himself to be nestled against his Father's chest.

"I called Grandpa to give him a heads up. Mom and I think it would be a good idea for you to have a chat with him about that night."

"He's not mad at me for telling you, is he?" Tony's voice was small and unsure.

"Not at all, Bud," said Gibbs emphatically. "He just wants to hear your voice and know that you're OK. He's worried you might be mad with him."

"With him?" said Tony in surprise. "Of course I'm not mad with him. He was trying to protect me."

"And that's exactly what I need you to tell Grandpa," replied Gibbs gently. "I think it would be good for both of you to have a chat."

Tony nodded and Gibbs pulled out his cell. Dialling the number, he held the phone out to Tony when he heard it ringing.

The phone clicked.

"Hello?" said a familiar voice.

"Hi. Grandpa?" said Tony.

Without appearing too obvious, Gibbs listened to the conversation.

"Tony!" exclaimed Jack. "It's so good to hear your voice. Are you having a good time in Australia?"

"Yeah," replied Tony shyly. A few seconds of awkward silence passed. "Um…Grandpa?"

"Yes, Son."

"I….well Dad…thinks it might be a good idea if we…well…talked about that night…you know….in the basement?"

"Listen Tony," began Jack. "I'm sorry you were so frightened that night. I didn't even think about how scary the darkness might be. I guess I was too worried being scared about what was happening upstairs."

"You…you were scared too?" asked Tony softly.

"Too right," replied Jack. "I was terrified. All those gun shots and people yelling. And then Ziva screamed."

Tony frowned and Gibbs noticed his eyes glaze over as he was reminded of that night. "I…I forgot about hearing Ziva scream. It was real loud too. How could I forget that?"

Gibbs tightened his hold on Tony and tenderly kissed the boy's head.

"There was a lot going on that night, Tony," said Jack. "I'm not surprised you don't remember everything."

"I didn't know you were scared too, Grandpa. Maybe we should have just hugged each other until the noises stopped."

Gibbs heard Jack's voice falter. "I…I think that would have been a very good idea. I wish I'd thought of that."

"Me too," said Tony sighing. "But, I'm OK now Grandpa," he added cheerfully. "I'm not mad or anything."

"I'm glad, Son," replied Jack. "I'm glad you're not mad at me for turning off the lights."

"I could never be mad at you Grandpa. You were just trying to keep me safe."

"That I was, Tony. That I was."

There was a brief silence as both parties came to terms with the conversation. Finally, Jack broke the silence.

"So, what have you been up to," he asked cheerfully.

Suddenly feeling as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, Tony began to giggle.

"You'll never guess what I did to Tim tonight," he said, his eyes dancing animatedly.

Gibbs smiled and stood, sliding Tony to the floor. Leaving the two to finish their conversation in private, he stepped out of the room.

Collapsing onto the sofa near the table, Gibbs leaned back and closed his eyes. He opened them again as Jenny rubbed his arm.

"Everything OK?" she asked, looking into his eyes with concern.

"Yep," he replied, reaching out and hooking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "It is now."

 **AN - Thanks to OzNCISLover for reminding me about Tim's cousin. I guess there might be a few more chapters still to write before I'm finished with this one! :D**


	22. Final Plans

**AN – I've put a map on the Facebook page showing the journey the family will take to Coober Pedy. To see this, just type 'Mindless Creations' into the search engine. There are also some photos of Victor Harbor, Granite Island and the little penguins.**

Chapter 22 – Final Plans

When Jenny awoke to the sound of rain on the roof, her heart sank. Knowing how much Ziva was looking forward to seeing the penguin parade she had fervently wished for fine weather. Rising quietly, so as not to disturb Gibbs, she tiptoed to the window and pulled back the curtain.

"What are doing?"

Startled by the unexpected voice, Jenny felt her heart leap.

"Don't do that, Jethro!" she admonished in a whisper. "You scared the life out of me." Turning back to the window, she added, "I'm checking to see how set in this rain is."

"And?" asked Gibbs after a few seconds of silence.

"Hmm," mused Jenny. "Not sure. The clouds are high and there does look to be a break in them." She replaced the curtain and climbed back into bed. "We just might get lucky later on this afternoon. I hope so, for all our sake."

Pulling up the covers, Jenny snuggled into Gibbs, hoping to steal some of the warmth radiating from him.

"Geez, Jen!" exclaimed Gibbs. "Your feet are freezing. Keep them over your side."

"But you're so warm," she cajoled.

"Yeah, and I'd like to stay that way," he grumbled but made no attempt to shift her feet.

Just as the two of them were drifting back to sleep, there came a loud wail from the other bedroom.

"No!"

"That's Ziva," said Gibbs, hurrying out of bed.

Rushing through the door, he saw Ziva sitting upright in bed, her face the epitome of disappointment. By her side was Abby and, in the bunk to his left, Tim and Tony were both sat up, looking around with concern.

"What's wrong?" asked Gibbs, rushing to her side.

"It's not fair, Daddy!" wailed Ziva, bypassing Abby and crawling into her Father's arms.

"What isn't?"

Taking a seat on Abby's bed, Gibbs arranged Ziva on his lap.

"It's raining!"

"Ziva!" growled Gibbs as a wave of relief washed over him. "I thought there was something seriously wrong."

"There is!" cried Ziva angrily. "It's raining!"

Tony flopped back on his pillow dramatically. "Did you have to wake everyone up for that!" he said in exasperation.

Looking up towards her brother's bed, Ziva said, "I want to see the penguins and Mommy said we can't if it's raining. Don't you want to see the penguins?"

"Sure," replied a disembodied voice near the ceiling. "But I wouldn't have woken everyone up just because it's raining!"

"That's because you're a poopy head," replied Ziva angrily.

"Hey!" said Gibbs sternly, ignoring the snort of laughter from Tim. "No name calling. And, Tony's right. It wasn't fair to wake everyone up. You could have waited until later to express your disappointment."

"But I'm disappointed now," she cried, throwing her arms in the air. "And I'm going to be disappointed all day!"

Standing up and balancing Ziva on his hip, Gibbs turned towards the door where Jenny stood waiting. Looking back briefly, he said to the room at large, "Try and get some more sleep. It's only five-thirty."

"Where're we going?" asked Ziva, as Gibbs followed Jenny into their room.

"Back to bed," replied Gibbs firmly.

"But I'm awake now," argued Ziva. "And I'm too sad to sleep."

Climbing into bed, Jenny watched as Gibbs settled Ziva in the middle before, he too, climbed under the covers.

"The rain might stop," said Jenny cheerfully. "Just because it's raining now, doesn't mean it will still be raining this afternoon."

"Do you really think so?" asked Ziva hopefully, sitting up and drawing her knees up to her chest.

"You never know your luck," replied Gibbs, his patience wearing thin. "Now lie down and close your eyes."

Suddenly pushing back the covers, Ziva began to crawl over Jenny.

"Ziva!" growled Gibbs. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to look out the window and see if it's going to stop."

Reaching out and grabbing Ziva's ankle, Gibbs gently dragged her back to the middle space between himself and Jenny.

"You can hear when it stops!"

"But, I want to see if…."

"Ziva!" Gibbs' voice was sharp and impatient. "Get into bed before I swat your bottom."

Sighing dramatically, Ziva gave a loud performance as she shuffled her way between her parents. Pulling the covers up to her chin, she stared mutinously at the ceiling.

"I won't be able to sleep," she grumbled.

"As long as you lay there quietly, I don't really care," replied Gibbs turning onto his side.

The next two minutes passed with a variety of sighs, huffs and puffs coming from the little person in the middle of the bed. When sighs turned into low growls of frustration, Jenny took control. Leaning up on one elbow she eyed Ziva sternly.

"That's enough!" she said sharply. "If you keep up this behaviour you won't be seeing the penguins at all. Is that clear."

Ziva sucked in her bottom lip.

"Yes, Mommy," she said quietly.

"Good," acknowledged Jenny firmly. "Now roll over."

Ziva's eyes widened. "Why?" she asked suspiciously.

Jenny smiled at her daughter. "As much as you deserve to have your bottom spanked, young lady, that's not my intention. I'm going to rub your back and help you relax. It will, hopefully, send you to sleep."

Doing as she was asked, Ziva rolled onto her tummy and let out a contented sigh as Jenny reach under her pyjama top and began drawing patterns gently with the tips of her nails. As Ziva's breathing deepened and eventually evened out, Jenny stilled her hand and closed her eyes. Within seconds she, too, was asleep.

When Gibbs next looked at the bedside clock, he read eight-thirteen. Silently climbing out of bed, he padded towards the shower taking a brief moment to peer into the middle bedroom. Seeing Abby awake and sitting up, he acknowledged her with a nod of his head.

"Hey Gibbs," she whispered. "I'm just checking the times for the penguin parade," she added, holding up her iPad. "I also checked the weather radar. The rain is heading east, away from us. I guess Ziva will get her wish after all."

Gibbs smiled. "Thanks Abs," he said quietly. "Do you need the bathroom? I'm just grabbing a shower." When Abby shook her head in the negative, Gibbs left with a wave in her general direction.

Ten minutes later, as Gibbs emerged from the bathroom, it was to be greeted by a sea of faces sitting at the table.

"Morning Dad," called Tony, stuffing his face with cereal.

"Morning," replied Gibbs.

Securing the towel around his waist, he headed for the back bedroom reappearing five minutes later dressed and ready for the day.

"Abby says the rain is going away," said Ziva taking a mouthful of cereal. "M fo gad….oops."

As milk and Rice Bubbles dribbled onto the table, Jenny rolled her eyes and grabbed a dish cloth.

"Try that again when you've swallowed your food," she chided gently as she mopped up the spill.

Looking past Ziva to Tony she frowned for a second before saying, "Tony, that shirt is inside out."

Tony looked down. "Oh yeah," he acknowledged. "I didn't notice. I'll change after breakfast."

"When can we leave to see the penguins?" asked Ziva, her mouth now emptied of food.

"The parade starts at 5.30 this evening," replied Abby.

"But that's ages away," whined Ziva.

"There's other things we can do as well," said Abby, reaching back and grabbing a tourist information brochure from the side cupboard. "We can take the horse drawn tram across to Granite Island and then go for a walk around the Island. We can visit the Penguin Center or we can head back to the mainland and spend some time in Victor Harbor."

"It sounds like Abby has our day all planned," said Gibbs sliding behind the table with his mug of coffee. Looking at his two youngest, he added, "When breakfast is over, you two need to make beds and clean up your room. There's clothes and shoes scattered everywhere. Did you pull out every item of clothing you own?"

In response, both children shrugged before taking a large mouthful of cereal.

"Hey! What happened in here?" exclaimed Tony.

Having finished breakfast, he and Ziva had been sent back to their room. "It's a mess! Who threw our stuff everywhere?"

"Well, don't look at us!" snapped Abby and she and Tim followed behind. "Tim and I keep our stuff tidy."

"Geez Tony!" griped Tim. "What have you been doing in here? My shoes are all tangled together."

"You can't tangle shoes," said Ziva scornfully, picking up her clothes and dumping them into her draw.

"The laces," clarified Tim. "They're all tangled."

"I didn't do anything," replied Tony. "It was probably Ziva. She's the one who was up at the crack of dawn."

"Hey!" yelled Ziva defensively. "I didn't do anything, Tony!"

A head suddenly appeared around the door.

"What's all the yelling about?" asked Jenny. Then, as she spied the room, she added, "Good grief! What happened in here?"

"Ziva!"

"Tony!"

The youngest two, having just accused each other simultaneously, huffed loudly.

"No wonder your clothes are all inside out," continued Jenny. "In future, just take out what you need."

"I did!" yelled both children together.

"Well obviously, you didn't," replied Jenny, shaking her head and leaving the children to continue cleaning up the mess.

****NCIS****

The rest of the day passed in relative calm as the family explored Granite Island and Victor Harbor. As Abby had predicted, despite the heavy cloud, the rain held off enabling the family to enjoy what the area had to offer.

Ziva's excitement at seeing the penguins was so contagious, by the time the evening came around, everyone was in awe of the tiny penguins that suddenly appeared from the ocean and waddled their way up the sandy beach, making their way to the hundreds of camouflaged nests that filled the rocky coastline.

"The penguins were so cute," gushed Ziva later that evening as the family enjoyed a hot chocolate before bed. "I wish I could have one as a pet."

Tony scoffed, spilling hot chocolate down his pyjamas.

"Serves you right," accused Ziva watching her brother mop up the dribbles with a dish cloth.

"Ahem," interjected Gibbs, clearing his throat loudly before Tony could retaliate, "Mom and I have been talking and we've decided to make a few changes to our vacation."

Four pairs of eyes flickered between Jenny and Gibbs.

"As we've already discussed, we've decided it's time we all headed back home to the States but," he added, seeing he had everyone's attention. "We thought we'd spend the last week or so, heading north and visiting with Tim's cousin in Coober Pedy." Reaching behind him, Gibbs took hold of the well-worn Atlas they'd been using for the trip. Opening it to the marked page, he laid it on the table.

"Now, this is where we are," he said, pointing at Victor Harbor. "Tomorrow, we'll head up this road to Adelaide." As he spoke, he traced the road with his index finger. "Once we arrive in Adelaide, we'll return to camper to the rental place."

"But," interrupted Tony. "Where're we sleep? I'm not sharing a car seat with Ziva!"

Gibbs laughed. "Don't worry, Tony. Sleeping in the car is not my idea of a holiday."

"Phew!" said Tony, wiping his brow dramatically.

"This is what Mom and I talked about today," continued Gibbs. "We thought we'd surprise you all. As Tim mentioned yesterday, his cousin and her husband own a Bed and Breakfast business which is a bit like a hotel," added Gibbs, anticipating the question which was about to tumble from Ziva's lips. "Being the off season for tourists, when Tim rang her today, she said they have plenty of room. So, instead of taking the camper north, we've decided we'll stay at the Bed and Breakfast instead."

Gibbs smiled at the look of ecstasy that crossed Abby's face.

"A proper bed," she said dreamily. "No more sharing with these two?" she added, pointing to Tony and Ziva. "Heaven!"

"What's wrong with sharing with us," remarked Tony scornfully.

"No more sharing with you and Timmy!" sniped Ziva, poking her tongue out at her older sister.

"And that's," continued Gibbs in a loud voice, 'the reason why we're ditching the camper. I think we all need some space from each other before we head home."

"Even you and Mommy?" asked Ziva, her eyes wide with shock.

"No," replied Gibbs, trying hard to hide the smirk behind his eyes. "Mommy and I don't fight like the four of you."

"Yes, you do," said Ziva suddenly. "I heard you the other night. You were making loud groaning noises and banging the wall. I thought you were hurting each other but then I heard you talking softly and laughing so I figured you'd made up again.

Abby began laughing as both Jenny and Gibbs blushed profusely.

"Gotta love these thin walls, hey Gibbs," said Abby grinning.

Ignoring his eldest, Gibbs pressed on with their plans.

"Anyway, moving right along," he said quickly, his face still bright red with embarrassment. "Tomorrow, we'll find a hotel room and sort out what things we'll need for the last part of our trip. The rest of our stuff can be shipped back to the States. We've managed to accumulate quite a bit on this vacation and there's no way we'll be able to take it all back on the plane. The next day, we'll drive up to Coober Pedy and spend our final week exploring the area."

"Sounds like a plan, Gibbso," said Abby cheerfully.

"Excellent, Boss," added Tim. "Tracy is really looking forward to seeing us. They have a large property with horses and cattle. She said we could go riding if we wanted."

"I've never ridden a horse before," said Tony, his face paling at the thought. "What if I fall off?"

"You don't have to go," said Jenny, trying to reassure her son, "But, if you do want to give it a try, we will all be there to help you. I'm sure Tim's cousin will have horses especially for beginners."

"They own a riding school Tony," said Tim, "One of the instructors will be able to help you and show you what to do. Have you ridden before Ziva?"

"Mostly with Ari," the little girl replied nodding her head. "I used to sit in front and he'd hold me tight. I did ride a couple of times by myself but it was hard to stay on. My legs weren't long enough to hug the horse properly."

Gibbs frowned.

"Couldn't you reach the stirrups?" he asked.

"We didn't use those very often. Abba would make us ride without a saddle. He said we never knew when we might need to steal a horse so we had to get used to riding bare-back."

Gibbs and Jenny exchanged a look.

"Well, at Tracy's you'll be able to use both a saddle and proper reins," said Tim, bringing Ziva back to the present. "You'll find it much easier."

"So, where is Coober Pedy?" asked Tony, turning back to the Atlas on the table.

He watched as his Dad pointed to Adelaide and then moved his finger slowly north, speaking as he did so.

"From Adelaide, we travel up here to Port Wakefield, then Port Pirie and Port Augusta. Then we head inland on the Stuart Highway to Coober Pedy. It will take us about ten hours to get there, so it's going to be a long day."

"I can't wait!" said Tim excitedly. "I haven't seen Tracy in years. Her family moved to Australia when she was twelve. They came back for a visit about ten years ago but I only saw her briefly."

"So, is Tracy a cousin on your Mom's side or your Dad's?" asked Jenny.

"Dad's," replied Tim. "Tracy's Mom and my Dad were brother and sister."

"Were?" asked Jenny.

"Yeah, Aunt Debra died a few years ago. Uncle Ray now lives with Tracy, her husband Michael and their two kids, Becky and Joel."

"How old are the kids?" asked Tony, his interest sparked.

"Ah…" said Tim thoughtfully, "I think Becky's about your age, Tony and Joel's a couple of years younger."

"Do you think they'll play with us?" asked Ziva.

"I don't see why not," replied Tim. "They'll be able to show you all the cool places to explore."

"Excellent!" said Tony, his face glowing with anticipation.

"Right then," said Gibbs, closing the Atlas with a bang and making everyone jump. He looked at Tony and Ziva. "We've got a big day tomorrow. Time for bed you two."

"But I'm too excited to sleep," whined Ziva as Gibbs lifted her into his arms. "I want to go to Goober Pedy tomorrow."

Tony guffawed loudly.

"It's Coober Pedy, not Goober Pedy," he said between giggles. "Goober Pedy – the snottiest place on earth!"

"Come on, Mr Hilarious," said Jenny, steering Tony towards the bedroom with a playful swat to his bottom. "Bed!"

But Tony wasn't finished.

"No wonder so many of the opals are green. They're covered in boogers."

"Enough, Tony," warned Gibbs, sending Ziva to the bathroom to brush her teeth. "When Ziva returns, I want those teeth cleaned and you in bed within five minutes. Got it!"

"Got it, Dad," replied Tony, a goofy smile plastered on his face. "It's-not that hard to remember! Get it? Snot, it's-not that hard?"

"Tony, you'll be 'getting it' in a minute," said Gibbs but Tony didn't miss the twinkle in his Dad's eye. Still giggling to himself, the young boy headed towards the bathroom to brush his teeth.


End file.
